I can't help thinking I made a huge mistake

For the past 23 years, I haven't involved myself in my culture. In fact, I've said for years that there is no culture here in Louisiana. Of course, I've taken bites of this culture I believed was lacking. I've gone to the Friday night football games and the crawfish boils, but I think overall I've missed out...and it's my own fault. This thought occurred to me a while back, but it slammed me in the face the other day at the Mardi Gras parade. For the past 23 years, I haven't gone to the Mardi Gras parade, at least I don't remember ever going. As I stood on the sidewalk catching beads, dodging plastic cups, and having a great time with my family I actually teared up a little bit. Luckily, I was wearing sunglasses so nobody could tell. But I realized that I haven't celebrated my life here, and soon I'll be leaving. I haven't involved myself in Mardi Gras, the parades and festivals, gone to local concerts, or celebrated the culture of Southwest La. I know I'm going to miss it when I get to Seattle, but I can only really blame myself. I'm not trying to be down on myself, but I guess it inspires me to do two things:
1) Celebrate the time I have left here (I might even go to Contraband Days)
2) Celebrate and involve myself in the new culture of Seattle when I move
Celebrate your culture, your people, your surroundings because you never know when they will be changed, people will move on, or life in general will just pass you by. I want to learn French, but who has the time...