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Actually, my run this afternoon felt good for my feet---for the rest of me, not so much. After another weekend of good drinking and eating, getting back on track on Mondays is often a challenge.
Shakori Hills was a wonderful time. The last time I camped there was back in my college days at UNC. This camping experience was much more "grown-up": marinated beef and asian slaw instead of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, good craft beer and red wine instead of Milwaukee Beast and Boone's Farm, sleeping in your tent instead of sleeping wherever you passed out...
But, not surprisingly, I can still party like I did when I was 21, as did my friends. I wonder what all of the high school kids thought about us old folk there dancing next to them at 2 a.m!
One thing I enjoy about Shakori Hills music fests is the multi-generational diversity. There are people of all ages in attendance. My guess is that some older folk were there chaperoning their teenage children. It almost reminded me of Mexico where parties are attended by all generations and where grandparents stay up drinking and dancing until sunrise. There were plenty of children dancing on stages and in the fields. I truly hope they continue to dance with such confidence....they won't look any sillier than we did dancing salsa!
There is good energy at Shakori, for the most part. Apparently, the Durham-born Carolina Chocolate Drops (one of my favs at the fest) played some music powered by a biofuel generator when electricity went out for a bit (hmm...I don't remember that.) It feels like community when you run into coworkers, former classmates, and old friends...I love this area and festivals like Shakori remind me of why.
I finally drifted asleep around 3:30-4 a.m. and arose to our tent neighbors packing up. I'm a light sleeper, so I couldn't fall back asleep (unlike my tent-mate who apparently slept pretty soundly in those wee hours). I went for coffee and enjoyed the feeling of morning...people were doing yoga in the lifting fog, vendors were setting up shop for another shot of making money, and families and friends were enjoying conversations that seem to be only inspired by coffee and wine.
Anyone who goes to yoga classes probably has heard the instructor say "so when you leave here, take this feeling of peace and awareness with you" or something like that. So, when I do my yoga tonight and stretch my toes out, I will remember how good it felt to be dancing without abandon with my sweetie and with friends and in a space full of positive energy where there was no measure of success or failure, just smiles and laughter.
