When the Saints Go Marchin’ In

By Jim Gillen

As I sit here thinking and writing on the morning after the Saints Super Bowl Victory and on the eve of Fat Tuesday, the proverbial get your sins out of your system day, I am reminded of a city I know quite well.

Before Katrina shook N’awlins to its very core, I lived there for a while, not far from City Park.  Something continues to draw me to the city and I’ve been back many times.  But, no matter how many times I come back, I cannot forget the feeling of hopelessness I had on my first visit and lessons I learned from it.

My first trip to the Big Easy was right after graduating high school.  I was on the side of the road, thumb out when I was picked up by a bunch of hippies in an old school bus heading my way. Life seemed good, so I stuck around for Mardi Gras, sleeping by the river or in Jackson Square Park before they shut it down.  It didn’t take long for me to realize that running around Iberville Projects at all hours of the night was not what I envisioned when I left for New Orleans and that sleeping outdoors was no picnic or adventure anyone would want to experience.  The feeling I had was one of hopelessness that I know many who struggle with addiction, mental illness and being homeless know all too well.

So, as we all take part in the joy of a city that has come pretty far back up the road, let us never forget the ones who are left behind like the people in Haiti and the almost unthinkable challenges they face, and the lesser known horrors of the Cheyenne River Sioux who suffer in total isolation cut off from the essentials that we take for granted like fresh water, electricity, heat, and food.

And, as the Saints go marchin’ through New Orleans and the city shines once again, let us remember the lessons we’ve learned in life and be grateful for the simple things we have been blessed with that we all too often take for granted.

Mark your calendars: The RI State Recovery Month Celebration will be held at Roger Williams Memorial in downtown Providence on Saturday, September 25, 2010, at 4:00 p.m.  Hurry Spring!