There's just nothing like a small town parade

I mean, where else do ordinary people come out twice a year and celebrate with their fellow townspeople.  Such are some of the biggest joys of living in a small town.  That especially hit home to me today as I was in a very bad part of Dallas, and noticing houses with not just bars on their windows and doors but essentially wrought iron cages around their front porches.  I can't say that there's probably as much sitting out on the front porch and waving to neighbors there as what most of the people living there would probably like.  It sure makes me grateful to live in rural America.