It's Over...(Thankfully)

Well, it’s over.  I didn’t go, however, and I didn’t miss anything.  OK, I know that sounds rather curmudgeonly, and it probably is, but I’m talking about the Wichita River Festival that clogged the downtown streets, left trash in various public and private areas, caused traffic to be re-routed, and generally was disruptive to many who live/work in this area.

Oh, I know there are many who enjoy such things, and I don’t begrudge anyone for that.  Wichita does have a major river flowing (sort of) in its downtown area, and there needs to be some way to celebrate that fact, I think, as well as utilize the green spaces, parks, and other places along and near the river.  So, it’s all good, and those who enjoy such things surely took advantage of the opportunity.  Rock on…

But it’s also disruptive to routine and costly.  Used to be one could wander around many places without a five-dollar button.  Not now.  I didn’t even go to the food court this year because I didn’t want to spend the extra five dollars to be let in.  The only other thing I might have wanted to watch was the fireworks show, and I can see that without a button.

So, call me a curmudgeon if you must.  And if you do, I’ll gladly show you my official curmudgeon certificate from the ISOC (International Society of Curmudgeons).  And maybe something like RiverFest would put some spring into my step and some gallop into my gait…I dunno.  But I’m not sure I want much more “spring” than I already have, and I don’t think I could handle a gait “gallop.”

We deal with closed streets, various races and runs, and other events through the year at our church building downtown that it is becoming normal to come to church on Sundays from the north instead of taking the most direct route.  Life is indeed like that; we need to be prepared to be moved from our routine and adjust to the unexpected, even if we don’t like it.  And I really do “get it.”

So, here’s to the River Festival, the 5K runs, the 10K runs, the bike runs, and all of the other that makes us take notice that life isn’t normal and predictable by any stretch…and to the curmudgeons of the world who let us know in no uncertain terms the truth of that statement.