Salt Spring Pride Weekend 2012

It's PRIDE WEEKEND again on Salt Spring Island.

Horses, Umbrellas, Feather Boas, Beach Balls... There is so much going on here...

I love this weekend for one reason.

LOVE!

No matter your orientation, everyone joins together and the whole day is full of love and acceptance and dancing. Everyone dresses up however they want, and there is COLOR EVERYWHERE.

Lucky for us, the parade ended right outside of Barb's so we could see it from the deck for a moment at a time while the restaurant was empty.

Working in the public, I always expect to have at least one person spew negativity at me about the whole thing, since it can be such a controversial subject. I am always pleasantly surprised at how that NEVER HAPPENS. Every year, I serve what feels like a billion people, and every year all I hear is love. Maybe those people are staying home this weekend, I don't know, but it sure helps keep the mood in a loving place.

Barb's Baristas got style!

The even more eye opening, humbling part of the weekend is seeing who comes out and supports it so fully. Again, I work in a very public place, I see a lot of people, some daily. You sort of get to know these people over time, or at least sort of. I'll admit that after a million and one days of serving your breakfast and having small talk, I might start to think I know a thing or two about you, and maybe I do, but not everything. I'll admit that some of the people I would have expected to stay home this weekend are some of the most dressed up, most colorful people I see in the conga line thats making its way down the street in the annual Pride Parade.

The beautiful thing about this weekend is that it doesn't matter who you are, you can put on a rainbow and some feathery wings or glitter and rock out in the middle of town and celebrate acceptance. No one has ever asked me my orientation when they see my rainbow shirt at work, and I've never felt the need to clarify anything to anyone. Everyone is just happy to be there, and happy that you're there too.

Your friendly Barb's staff, watching the parade for a second at a time while the restaurant was empty.

This is the side of humanity that I feel like gets lost in all the debates about whats "right" or not. No matter what your religion is, the basis is usually about loving one another and not causing harm to others, and - somewhat ironically, perhaps - This is the weekend that I feel that happening. Not in theory, but actually actively being practiced by everyone.

Maybe Salt Spring is unique, but it seems like the best side of everyone comes out this weekend, no matter who you love.

I realize that this may strike a chord with some people, and not everyone agrees with me here, but the point is, Pride Weekend or no, that we all should spend more time loving each other and accepting who we all are. Everyone is entitled to their own religion, opinion, and feelings, but this weekend, we've set that aside to just be together as people, dancing in the the street, in the middle of town, because, why not?

The Pride parade coming to its final street corner, conveniently right outside of Barb's.