Radiate Positivity

As I drove home from Tennessee on Monday in the pouring rain, my thoughts wandered to this little blog and how I would ever be able to capture this past weekend with words on a page.

Bonnaroo was life-altering: that's the only way to put it.

For those who have never been, Bonnaroo is a five day music and arts festival in Manchester, TN. where you camp, eat, sleep and vibe with 80,000+ people - and I've never felt more connected to those around me.

The theme of the festival is "radiate positivity" and this seeps into every aspect of the five days: from the stream of high fives on the way into centeroo, shouts of "happy Roo!" at every turn, and the general compassion, friendliness and kindness of every single person I encountered along the way.

I've come away from the weekend with some much needed life perspective, new friends scattered across North America and a playlist full of music to transport me back to that time and place whenever I'm feeling low.

Bonnaroo, you're magic. I can't wait to be back at the farm in 357 days.

The Arch

High fives into Centeroo

My favourite graffiti from the weekend

The perfected Roo-look: temporary tattoos, sunburn, water, beer and toilet paper!

Nothing like a sunset on the farm

Ferris Wheel ride with new friends

Vibing

Our campsite in Pod 10!

Radiate Positivity

The Fountain

A Fallacy of Youth

Mumford & Sons - Just Smoke

(Why do I keep falling) I thought we were done
(Why do I keep falling) And young love would keep us young 

Lately I've been thinking a lot about the curious passage of time: I started this blog to chronicle my twenty-fifth year, and all the highs and lows along the way. Maybe because of this acute awareness, more and more I'm finding my mind aimlessly drifts back to the unavoidable truth that (gasp!) my twenties won't last forever.

I won't be this young ever again.

The rational part of my mind recognizes that it can't be all bad, getting old, but it's a hard fear to shake. When I was younger I always dreamed of being twenty-something and living in a big city surrounded by friends and family. Today, especially these past few months, this childhood fantasy has become real. I'm so grateful. But I'm also terrified that life will never be this good again.

Is this a fallacy of youth? Perhaps.

And yet it feels very real. So, with this in mind, I want to be make more of an effort to capture some moments that have really stood out for me lately. I want to write them down. I want to bottle these feelings. I want to have this collection of moments to come back to.

• Standing at the summit of the Cup and Saucer Trail on Manitoulin Island with my two best friends as we looked out across the endless wilderness below. Feeling accomplished and strong and unbelievably happy to have those girls with me.
• Sitting at the rock beach on the French River: letting myself feel happy and full in that moment, even knowing that that particular brand of happiness may be temporary. Having the guts to enjoy it anyway.
• Laying on the floor of a hotel room at 5:00 am with a new friend, exchanging tales of our lives, as the Saskatoon sun rose outside the window. How much sense everything made that sleepless night. How sometimes people come into your life and give you exactly what you need.
• Sitting next to my new friend, Sofie, on the St. Clair streetcar heading westbound in the rain on a Sunday afternoon. How we couldn't stop giggling about our matching hats. This is the moment when I knew with certainty that this girl would be a lifelong friend.

Runnin' back to Saskatoon

Saskatchewan: Where the horizon stretches infinitely on

The South Saskatchewan River stretches through downtown Saskatoon

A city of bridges