Sage In The Meadow

I’ve said before, that I live a quiet life. And I like it that way. Going to work, shopping and taking my dog for walks, are some of the only things that get me out of the house.  With that being said, though, even the calmest and quietest among us go off and have themselves a real adventure sometimes. And that my friends, is where this story begins.

A couple of months ago, a particular music group announced their upcoming, world tour. It piqued my interest, (mildly). The closest stop to me was two states away, and I thought it would be too much trouble to attend. But, as the date for ticket sales grew ever closer, I just couldn’t banish the thought from my head. What if we actually went? I tossed the idea around with my sisters, and we all agreed, that if we managed to snag tickets, we’d go.

Sounds easy, right? Wrong. It is very, V E R Y difficult to acquire concert tickets for this group. And when March first rolled around, I had a glimpse at taking part in the literal Hunger Games. Suffice it to say, you’ve got to be quick, and brutal to buy these tickets, or you’ll end up spending an exorbitant amount on RESALE tickets, in the nose-bleed section. Not speaking from experience or anything, *cough*.

To make a very long story slightly shorter, we fought our way to the internet battlefront; and by the skin of our teeth, bought three tickets. I couldn’t believe it! (Though my bank account would beg to differ.) That now meant it was time to start the madness of booking flights, and hotels. After stressing over the ordeal, we finally did it. Travel plans and accommodations, complete!

With nerves running high, the fateful day arrived. Bags packed, we boarded the metal tube, which would be hurtling us at top speeds through the sky, eventually landing us in a place miles and miles away from home. Airplanes are not my favorite things, and I was very happy to be on the ground once again. Even if it meant sitting in the back of a shuttle bus, with a driver who was a gold medalist at bumper cars. We may or may not have slightly rear-ended another airport shuttle, but no worries, nobody seemed to care.

Finally, after a long stressful day of traveling, we reached the place I was most looking forward to: the sea. There it was, just as I had left it years ago. Looking out at the crashing waves, and breathing in the ocean air, I was instantly refreshed. I felt cured from all the motion sickness, and travel headaches. It was windy, and cold, but I didn’t mind. It was a moment of complete peace and awe. (Desert dweller that I am, the sea will always hold a piece of my heart.)

Fast forward a bit, to the next two days of shopping, getting lost, and facing the scary monster that is, big city traffic. I thought I had a pretty good idea of what it would be like, sitting in the middle of a six lane highway with thousands of other commuters all around, but it’s something you have to see to believe. Big cities are truly something to experience. The phrase, ‘concrete jungle’, is quite an accurate description. Navigating the vast metropolis is it’s own kind of jungle expedition. You’ve got to keep your wits about you at all times, and be sure not to make any wrong turns, or you could end up in a heap of trouble. Another thing I concluded, was that cities are dirty things. It’s not all glittering skyscrapers, and sparkling sports cars, (though there is plenty of that too). For the most part, those things only serve as an exciting facade, disguising the harsh realities lurking just beneath the surface.

Finally, it was the eve of the “real, big day”. Concert day. I tossed and turned the whole night, thinking about everything I should’ve considered a long time ago. (Parking, for example.) Despite all the worry, the day dawned bright and early. And I attempted to soothe my frazzled nerves with a steaming matcha latte, from a nearby cafe. (That helped a little.) I donned my “fan paraphernalia”, and was determined to push through, and complete the goal of this entire trip. So an hour’s car trip later, we arrived at the stadium. Yes, a football stadium. This was no small concert, friends. It was a twice-sold-out stadium concert.

Sixty-thousand, is a big number. And you only get a grasp of just how big, when you find yourself swimming in a different sort of ocean; one made of living, breathing, two-legged humans, wearing a whole lot of pink. There were streams, and rivers of people everywhere, all with one thing on their brains, BTS! Seven boys from South-Korea, who somehow, manage to gather crowds of thousands upon thousands from all over the world… (including me and my sisters). It was a crazy, overwhelming, heart pounding, experience. A memory, etched into my brain, that I don’t think I’ll ever forget.

I have to say that it was quite a show, (even though we were far away). It was so wild to see my favorite songs performed live, right before my eyes. And the cheering crowd, all aglow with their brightly flashing light-sticks, was almost more spectacular than the show itself. I don’t think anyone can get a crowd going, like BTS!

So was it worth the trip? Yes, it was. Would I do it again? Probably.  ❤

The concert ended (sadly) and we made it back to the hotel, ready for a few hours of sleep before an early morning flight. Still buzzing from the concert, and with the prospect of home ahead, we had a much more enjoyable travel day. Throughout the airport, we saw several other people who had been at the concert too. (Their headbands, and t-shirts gave them away.) We realized we weren’t the only ones crazy enough to travel for BTS, but in fact, just a drop in the ocean, (as you can see below)!

After all of that, it feels a little strange to be back home, sitting at my desk, telling you all about my adventure. The trip wasn’t all fun, all the time. But the funny thing about remembering, is that the memory of something can sometimes seem sweeter, than when you first experienced it. I’m very grateful, and content to be back home, settling into my daily life. And I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to experience a trip like this. After you get out and see the world, exploring new places, and learning new things, you just might find that home is still, one of the best places on earth.

“Under the same moonlight, our hearts are forever one.”

Thank you for reading.

Lady S

P.S. If you want to see more of this trip, here’s a video that just so happens to be about it. 😉