Susan Gallagher
May 5, 2025
When almost everyone has chosen a side in the nationwide battle of “us” and “them”, it’s hard to remember that we do indeed have many shared values. If you ever need a reminder that those values are alive and well, in abundance, I suggest a trip to Niagara Falls.
My husband and I went up on a road trip during an especially rainy spring. What the heck, we figured. We were wet already.
Arriving in time for the evening light show that colors the cold rushing waters in warm pastels, we jostled for position along a handrail with hundreds of other tourists. We were surrounded by people from all over the world–Indian families with women in colorful saris, organized Korean tour groups trying to keep track of one another, and kissy-faced French-speaking newlyweds. Ohh, la, la! Seemingly every color and creed were represented in a melting pot that hadn’t quite been stirred.
The next day, along with many of those same strangers, we bought tickets for the iconic, Maid of the Mist tour, a twenty minute boat ride out to the foot of the falls. As we lined up to board ship, a sort of transformation began among the crowd.
Everyone was issued the same bright blue, disposable rain poncho. The thin plastic sheets covered each one of us down to our shins, with hoods to obscure faces and hair. Dressed in this waterproofing, suddenly we were no longer Asians, Indians, and Americans. We were just–the Blue People.
The Blue People all spoke the same language: ooh and aah as the spectacle of Horseshoe Falls came into view, laughter as the daredevil captain steered us straight into the drenching spray. The Blue People all lofted their children into the air for a better view, they grabbed onto the railing–grabbed onto each other, total strangers–as the boat pitched and yawed. The Blue People did share a universally understood sense of delight and awe.
Such glimpses into our shared humanity are far too rare these days. But I think that nature tends to engender them, to remind us of what we have in common. There’s this primal inclination to find joy and wonder in the outdoors.
Spending time with each other out there is a great equalizer. No matter our age, color, gender, or politics, every one of us is just as eager to laugh under the spray of a crashing waterfall. Young or old, black, brown, or white, leaning left or leaning right, deep down we’re all just Blue People.