Tournament of Roses Parade “Best Day Ever” #FeelingFriday

Source: Me on my iPhone … one of my fav floats bc of its theme

On New Year’s Day, for the first time ever, my husband and I attended the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA USA. While I have watched the parade on television for years, starting as a little kid, I had never been to it live. And wow what an experience! And this its 136th Anniversary! Can you imagine?!?

The theme this year was “Best Day Ever!” and it really struck me how appropriate it all was, but perhaps for a different reason. Particularly right now in our world.

We were lucky enough to have a front row view on the parade route so we literally could reach out and touch the parade participants. We high-five’d some of the band members. We could see the individual seeds on the floats. We chatted with the marchers when they had to stop in front of us. It was the experience of a lifetime.

And that is exactly the point.

For the folks IN the parade, this was their best day ever. The members of the marching bands from all around the world were giving it their absolute best. The designers and builders of the floats gave it their absolute all. The horse riders and handlers were trotting down those streets like it was their first time and their last time they will ever ride.

It was their best day ever because it was a pinnacle moment for them.

They have been working all year for this moment, and in some cases maybe their whole lives for this moment. Thinking, planning, practicing, dreaming … of this day.

Their best day ever.

What a gift! And here we are enjoying the fruits, not just of their talents, but of their joy. The joy of seeing their faces on their best day ever.

It was a wow. And it was something I am carrying with me into 2025. Not because every day is going to be the “best day ever” but because I’m going to remember their joy as they were relishing the moment they had been working towards and here’s the kicker … they were grateful for it. You could tell.

Shouldn’t we be grateful for every day? I’m going to smile every day remembering their “best day ever” even when I may not be having one, because not every day is a Tournament of Roses day but, hey, some days are!

What’s your experience? JIM

Source: Me again, on my iPhone … the cover of the official program