It’s Parade Day in my community. It is now 7:55 a.m. The Parade is at 5:30 p.m.

This parade will travel past my house. I love the fact that I don’t have to travel down the blocks to find a spot where we can view the parade. Actually the best part of having a parade go right past your house is the fact that the bathroom is near. No more hunting for bathrooms for the Grandkids during the parade.

What surprises me is that when I peek out my front window this early morning there are already chairs and blankets lined up and down the street. The chairs put there by parade goers that want the best seat and are afraid there won’t be room. When I see those chairs the anxiety starts to rise in my heart.

Do I need to put chairs out this early? Will I have a place to sit in my own front yard? Will my grandchildren have to fight for a seat on my lawn? Where are my chairs? I better get dressed, comb my hair and rush out to reserve the curb.

Is that rational train of thought? Absolutely no! Will I do that? Possibly.

What is it about us that causes us to be afraid there will be no room for us. What is there about us that the anxiety (chairs on the lawn at 7:00 a.m) amps up our adrenaline and makes us follow suit? What will happen if I don’t have front row seaat to a parade that is mostly full of cars, trucks and tractors?

We do that everywhere. Remember the long lines at Best Buy and Walmart for days at the start of the Christmas shopping season waiting for the Black Friday deals? What would happen if everyone would chill out and just arrive at the time the stores opened or a few hours before. The lines would probably be the same. You possibly could get the same spot because everyone arrived 1 hour instead of days before. It is the shopping frenzy, the scare tactic of not getting the good deal and our own inside anxiety that erupts into insane actions.

Back to the subject of parades. Parades have changed. In my youth Parades were made up of elaborate floats with many colors something like the Rosebowl Parade but not made of flowers. They were beautiful. For a little girl it was exciting to see the girls in formals on the beautiful floats. There were many bands so it was easy to tap your toes. It was a different era but one that everyone should experience in their life.

Oh no, it is 7:06. I better get my chairs out. I better rope off my lawn and put a sign that says,”My grandkids only.” After all I am sure there is not enough candy going to be thrown in front of my home for anyone but my grandkids. They only got 4 big bags last year. It was because of all the other kids that got their lawn chairs on my lawn first. I know there are at least 3 more bags of candy to be had if I patrol this year. Oh, no another chair has been put on the lawn. I’ve got to get going.