American Experience

Better late than never, I guess.

I can't remember exactly how old I was the first time I visited New Orleans. I'm pretty sure I was around fourteen. There are only three things I remember with absolute clarity: A man approaching our group around ten in the morning, already drunk, and telling us what good people we were, as we were all wearing our "trip" shirts stating that we were building for Habitat for Humanity, a sudden downpour lasting three minutes at the most that left all of us soaked and laughing, and the desire to never leave.

Watching An American Experience has only reminded me of how much I love that city and how excited I am to return.

If I had to choose only one chapter to comment on, despite how short it is, I would choose chapter three. I agree with the gentleman completely that cemeteries are for the living, a way to keep the past alive. I've never heard of having picnics in cemeteries before, but I suppose it makes a lot of sense. People like to feel close to the past, to relatives that have passed on, to family memories. I know some cultures leave food offerings on graves, and we ourselves often decorate gravestones. People often sign the names of family members who have passed on to letters and cards, especially in the case of children. The need to feel a connection to the past is a strong one, if not for the memories, then to help us identify ourselves and explain why we are the way we are.

New Orleans is connected to the past in a way like no other city I've ever visited. History is everywhere, around every corner you turn and in every person you speak to. I can't wait to be a part of that again.