we came here to be liberated, we came here to be freed

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.

coming full circle

Life has a funny way of coming full circle.

Sometimes we don’t even realize that we have circumnavigated in time back to the exact same spot.

A few weeks ago I attended a bluegrass show that I had attended exactly a year ago; same artist, same venue, just a year in between and a whole different me attending.

We evolve and change so much that we never take time to actually reflect on that change.

JJ Grey and Mofro are not your typical blue grass band. They are full of life and energy, and their lyrics can be felt.

When we first got to the show I noticed the singer had aged. He is a musician that uses all of his soul to sing and wants you to feel every emotion through his words.

He had become a little grayer over the time since I had seen him last. The year that had passed was apparent. It wasn’t only in his appearance that he had grown but in his voice. You could hear the time and the growth he had made in this past year, you could feel the energy of him growing wiser.

Slowly leaving my group and making my way to the front of the audience I wanted to get a better view of the show. As I excused my small self all the way to the front and center of the crowd, I stood there right in front of him allowing all the instruments and words to wash over me. As I stood in the grass and gazed up at the stars brightening the sky, it hit me. 

A year ago, I stood in the exact same spot. Recalling that I departed from my group last time and made my way all the way to this location.

As I stood there taking in all the music and dancing, I realized the growth that I had made over the past year. I have completely evolved from the girl I was a year ago. All the strides forward to bettering myself had taken me very far from my unhappy self a year ago. My voice and my appearance have changed. The growth in me was apparent probably to everyone else around me but myself.

It took me dancing in the crowd front and center of a bluegrass band to realize. I had made it full circle over the time of a year to the same venue and the same show. But the person I am now is far happier in every moment.

Once I realized my impeccable growth, I just stood there and grinned as I danced alone.

Sometimes we need to take time to reflect on the progress we have made. Maybe it takes coming to the exact same spot over a period of time for you to notice the change.

As I come full circle, I have never been more proud of myself and the woman I have become.

You are allowed to change.

You are ALLOWED to change.

Regardless of what society or others have forced you to think, you can change your mind.

You can decide on an entirely different path than the one you thought you were meant to take.  

Changing how you feel, or who you are is entirely acceptable. We are not meant to stay the same.

Changing and becoming someone different is the plan.

It is how life should be lived.

Changing is evolving into the person you are meant to be.

So follow the drifts in the current, they are guiding you.

The universe is trying to tell you to go to the next step.

Listen to the change of tune.

Realize the universe is sending you signs.

The belief that you do not deserve better is what holds you in this complacent unchangeable world.

Out of fear, you compromise which in turn will not allow you to go to the following chapter.

You can NOT compromise or settle.

It’s just a matter of listening to your instinct.

& deciding that YOUR happiness matters.

We will change. We are not meant to stay the same.