OPINION Festivals Acadiens et Creoles: Take this break we’re given and revel in it

By DOMINICK CROSS

After two years, Festivals Acadiens et Creoles returns to the familiar surrounds of Girard Park for a weekend celebration of Cajun and Creole cultures in music, food and arts and crafts.

Yee-the-hell-haw!

And yet, the pandemic that dropped in on the world in March 2020 and which appears to be ebbing in the U.S., is, sad to say, on the rise in Europe and China.

And if all goes the way it has the past two years, the U.S. will probably again get the COVID en masse.

So the never-ending roller coaster ride continues.

This is way past exhausting. It’s been way too long and it’s way past on my last nerve which may be found in the crumpled mask I last wore in public nine days ago. It’s on the floorboard, passenger side.

Goodness gracious, I’m so tired of the pandemic. I’m tired and saddened by the unnecessary sickness and death of friends and countless strangers.

I’m especially over the obtuse chunk of citizenry who’ve been misled about the virus (and the election and the insurrection) by cynical politicians and their ilk whose platform of misinformation is peddled by certain media outlets.

You may know of these people. The ones who couldn’t be bothered with the simple task of wearing a mask, or getting the vax for not only themselves, but also their fellow Americans. Medical exemptions duly noted.

And now these same people are riding around the country in a convoy protesting any and everything designed to help put this pandemic to bed.

If I may, WTF?!

And there’s also the fresh pain of the War on Ukraine and where it may lead. I’m not a masochist, so I’ll not go there.

I’m so sick of it all. I’m worn down and nearly out.

I, we, all of us need a break from the insanity and inanity of the past two years before all meaning is lost and tossed, not unlike a book pulled from our public library shelves by the self-righteous.

So just in time, a hero emerges in the form of this upcoming festival weekend and it’s right here and it’s right now and it’s knocking on our door.

With tears of joy, I swear I can hear Monte Hall exclaim as only he could: “Festivals Acadiens et Creoles! C’mon down!”

Ah, yes. A reprieve. A respite. A revival, even. A weekend where we’re all sure to see, converse, hug and dance with friends we haven’t seen in two years.

We can still be cautious without being paranoid; Festivals Acadiens et Creoles is held outdoors. And our hearts can still go out to Ukrainians without being on our sleeves.

Take this break we’re given and revel in it.

Monday and the woes of the world will be here soon enough.