The greatest transformations happen when you step out of your
comfort zone and away from your phone.
We have a tendency to fear the unknown, but that is when change
within us occurs. Fear at times holds us back. The reason we feel anxious and a
little bit worried about how things will turn out is because we are going on a
path of unexpected experiences.
When my dear friend asked me to go to Okeechobee Fest for her
birthday, I denied her quickly out of reflex and fear. After marinating on the
idea, I realized that there was truly nothing holding me back from going other
than the exit from my comfort zone. I skimmed the line up and purchased the
ticket without a second thought. This was an opportunity that had presented it
self and I knew I must take it.
This would be my first camping experience ever! I had no idea what
to expect and I decided that was the best way to go into this, with absolutely
zero expectations. Everything happened so easily and swiftly. We met as a large
group of seven cars with twenty-three people and caravanned from here to the
festival. The second we pulled in, without words being said we all unpacked our
cars simultaneously and started setting up camp.
The first night after we watched the sunset over the property of the
festival, we made our way to the stage to watch Con Brio.
During his set, he
looks out to the audience and says “we came here to be liberated, we came here
to be freed”. No truer statement would be spoken the rest of the weekend that
could epitomize the entire experience.
Leaving my phone at home was going to help liberate me from the
world and be fully present with my surroundings. I wanted to be able to inhale
each moment for what it was and not be focused on anything else.
Days began and we energized ourselves with peanut butter and bananas
sandwiches with granola. We packed our snacks, toilet paper, water, and
flashlight because we had no inclination of when we would return. That was the
beauty of it, bringing what you needed for the entire day and not knowing when
you’d be back to the cozy campsite. Our entire camp family broke off and we
headed out with our backpacks making our way to the different stages of the
musicians we wanted to see.
I truly did not realize how much I would completely love being at a
music festival. Dancing barefoot upon the earth I could feel the music
underneath my toes. Allowing the vibrations to come through the ground into my
legs. As I felt the sun blazing onto me and shut my eyes, I felt the rhythm of
the music wash over me. As I opened them I could see the sun flickering and
dancing upon the horn instruments. You could feel the funk taking over.
As the days went on you could feel the love of all the people
attending the festival. People were all there to let themselves be free and to
enjoy the music. We were all there for the music. There was no judgment and
people could dress and express themselves in the way they chose.
All of us were here to be love, see love and create love.
Time seemed unreal. We had no place to be be, nothing we had to do
and no where we had to go. You had full capability to just do you.
By the fourth day, exhaustion slowly started to take over my body.
The amount of walking and dancing with inadequate rest periods caused my legs
to hurt. But I did not let that stop me from dancing for every single show I
went to. Regardless of my leg aches I danced for all the musicians I saw
because I came for the music and to let it take over me.
I was the dirtiest and grimiest I have ever been in my life, but I
absolutely loved it! No electricity, no showering and only port potties, can
truly test a person’s limits and their level of getting dirty.
I didn’t look at my appearance in the reflection of a mirror for the
entire four days. When we finally made it back home in the middle of the night,
I peered at myself in the bathroom mirror I saw life and beauty covered in
earth.
We came to the music festival to be freed in so many ways. We came
to move and groove within nature, just trying to survive and enjoy all the
music.
Step out of your comfort zone and away from your phone.
