I am a sucker for all things sappy and sentimental. The annual Homecoming Parade in my little town is just that. It is the most quintessentially small town, Norman Rockwell-esque event I attend all year – and I just love it.
This year’s parade came at a great time. It’s been easy to lose a little faith in the world: the world’s economy is a mess, American politics are getting uglier by the day, and our technology driven-celebrity obsessed-super rushed culture can make me want to scream. But just when I am about to lose faith along come the cheerleaders, football players, and band members of the local high school marching down the street in front of my office.
The teenagers restore my faith in our culture and young people. I love knowing that parades are still fun to them, crepe-paper floats are still worth building, and the homecoming dance is still something to be looked forward to. In fact, for all our technological advances, much of high school is still what it has always been: a popularity contest, a time to get excited about first dates and crushes, and a time to show unabashed school spirit – among many other things.
So, if you’re feeling a little jaded this weekend, head to your local high school. You will be reassured to know that high school is just how you left it.