Didn't happen, of course. Cobblestones are the reason. If you are one of the regulars who are never happier than when curled up with one of these postings, then you will remember the cobblestones in Charleston. Uneven and irregular is what they are. Not predictable. The days of our lives are like that. Well, mine are. You may have a different story.
I was expecting a pilgrimage that would take me to the sacred places of my personal mythological landscape. Again, if you're new here, you may want to consult with the Muse, who is, or so I'm told, on top of the heap of those most in the know of Ms Wonder, Princess Amy, Aunt Maggie, and the environs of Crystal Cove, Deep River Village, and Pittsboro.
New Orleans, of course, is none of those places but it is one of the special places in America and if there are secular pilgrimages, then Mardi Gras must surely be one.
I realize that Mardi Gras is marked by Epiphany on one end and Ash Wednesday on the other and the significance of that is not lost when making the argument for a secular pilgrimage. Just as there are two Christmases blended into one--secular and religious--Mardi Gras is a time of celebration and indulgence prior to spiritual commitment, and it's also a time to simply celebrate the joy of being alive.
As I said, I didn't make it to New Orleans. I'm sitting in Dulce Cafe here in Durham. This is the very spot where I made plans for the Mardi Gras pilgrimage, the plans that have once more ganged agley. But I'm thinking of New Orleans and celebrating being alive.
I hope you can do the same. Laissez les bon temps rouler!