A Good Old Fashioned Parade

One of the most depressing highlights of the year for me when growing up in Canada was watching the Rose Bowl parade on New Year's day. While I froze in the icy north, I watched beautiful floats festooned with flowers slowly winding their way down the steets in sunny, warm California. I could almost smell the flowers. Watching it all unfold was an act of sadomasochism.

This year I was in Phoenix for the Fiesta Bowl parade. And what a parade it was. No, there were no flower festooned floats. The floats have been replaced by huge inflatable figures. Yes, it was sunny and warm. But what struck me most as I watched the nearly three hour long parade pass before me was the incredible American "spirit" of it all. And the tradition. It was almost as if I had been transported back in time to more innocent days; days without Iphones and Ipods. I could have been watching a movie of a parade shot in America decades ago. There were endless lines of high school and university marching bands, cheerleaders being thrown into the air, baton twirlers, and clowns. The uniforms and instruments of the serious young musicians glittered in the sun. The Sheriff of Maricopa County and his posse went by, as did a host of Marshalls on horseback, as if they had come straight out of a John Wayne film. There were huge inflatable American flags, eagles, and other treasured symbols.

But the highlight for the huge crowd, and curiously enough for me, was when a smallish contingent of American troops marched by. They marched along like the other parade participants. They were not showy and decked out as heroes with medals and fancy uniforms. They came in their plain military fatigues - no tanks, modern weaponry or sophisticated equipment. Just the soldiers. It was not a show of US military force, as one might see from other nations eager to boast about their superiority. It was simply about young people, who had decided to serve their nation.

These young men and women in uniform were greeted by a steady and strong applause from everyone around me. I am sure this greeting followed them throughout the long parade route. It was the crowd's way of showing its support, its love of country, and most of all its gratitude for these men and women. It was a glorious moment. And a great parade.