People from all over the world come to New Orleans annually to celebrate Mardi Gras.

This year was considered one of the most successful Mardi Gras celebrations. The weather was perfect, the crowds were one of the biggest and the floats and costumes were colorful.

Known as one of the greatest free shows in the world, it is a day Catholics celebrate and enjoy before the next day, Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of Lent.

Forty days before Easter they sacrifice and fast in preparation for Easter (the Resurrection).

“Mardi Gras Madness,” as some people describe it, is now bigger that ever. (As a point of information, “madness” is defined as a condition of being mad. “Mad” is defined as crazy, insane, foolish and senseless).

Many cities outside of Louisiana have decided to copy the celebration for which New Orleans is famous.

With the celebration comes the attitude that creates the atmosphere of “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.”

The Bible says that people with this mentality are fools. In Louisiana, we are famous for the French saying: “Laissez les bons temps rouler,” (Let the good times roll).

I’m 82 years old and never liked Mardi Gras. I’ve only attended two in my lifetime.

Once when I was 16 and the other, when in the Navy, my ship came to New Orleans for the celebration.

Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday,” has come and gone for another year.

Tuesday, the same day of the big celebration, the headlines in one of the statewide newspapers read, “Louisiana ranked as worst state in U.S.”

The U.S. News and World Report, known for annual education, health care and other consumer-focused rankings, listed Louisiana as the worst state in the country, followed by Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama and New Mexico.

Louisiana received low marks on crime and corrections, opportunity, education, economy, government, health care and infrastructure.

As New Orleans and many other towns in Louisiana were celebrating last Tuesday, I, and maybe others, was questioning (and rightfully so), just exactly what do we have to celebrate?

If you have any questions or comments, please write Harold Keller at Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA70084, call 985-652-8477 or email hkeller@comcast.net.