Mon., Sept. 15, 2014

Miss America

Baring her sole: Miss Montana Victoria Valentine displays her shoe during the Miss America Shoe Parade at the Atlantic City boardwalk on Saturday in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The traditional “Show Us Your Shoes” parade featured 53 Miss America hopefuls riding in convertibles, each sporting creatively decorated shoes to evoke their home state. Miss Oregon Rebecca Anderson had tiny bicycles on her shoes and wore a helmet since Portland is known as a bike-friendly city. The next Miss America will be crowned during tonight’s televised competition. (Associated Press)

The whole strutting one’s body in a swimsuit in hopes of “winning,” goes against all my sensibilities. Have to say.

Still, I smile when I think of the Miss America pageant. As a little girl, I watched the annual cattle call-like festivities with my grandmother and she would ask, “Cathy Ann, who should we root for?” We kept score and wrote down our favorites. I loved the event because grandma and I hissed and clapped through the two-hour program. And I got to stay up late.

Some traditions have little inherent value, except for the memories. And that means everything.

(S-R photo: Miss Montana Victoria Valentine displays her shoe during the Miss America Shoe Parade at the Atlantic City boardwalk .)

Posted Sept. 15, 2014, 6 a.m.