Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica: March 6, 2016

There is so much I wish to remember from the past weekend at Envision. My encounter with Violet during my last sunset in Uvita (which was a beautiful dual reflection in the sky). Dancing on the beach with Angela Del Sol as the sun disappeared behind the horizon and a perfectly balanced walking stick rolled into me by the wake. Losing my maraca which held the power of the many people who played it. My lovely djembe drum which I’ll never see again after just learning how to tighten it.

When a lovely speaker answered my question of dealing with someone who owes you money. She told me to let it go and I involuntarily broke into tears for the first time in a while. A man named Fred comforted me as I was crying and he said, “it feels good, doesn’t it?” an accurate statement at the time.

The story of how I found our campsite for the weekend was also very special. On the third attempt in finding a shady spot, I met a girl named Creature who was a part of a large group inhabiting a beautifully organized campsite, including a giant bell tent. With my drum in hand, she asked if I wanted to jam with her. I reluctantly said yes while afraid of losing this perfect spot under a nearby tree, but I’m glad i did. Jamming with her for just a few minutes established a connection that lasted the entire weekend as we consistently crossed paths. She truly is a special soul, along with her friend “Hilarious".

I would cross paths with Creature at special moments throughout the festival of 8,000 participants. Her singing voice was soft & uplifting. Our serendipitous encounters were the highlight of my weekend, that and the Envision orchestra’s performance on Saturday night. Utilizing a digital tablet, The maestro composed the entire set with dozens of various instruments and seemlessly tamed a wild flow across all musical genres.

A worker at the Krishna Kitchen asked the crowd if anyone wanted to volunteer for a free meal. I said yes without question. I washed dishes, cut cucumbers, tomatoes and was treated very kindly by a lovely lady who offered me watermelon juice and a sun hat.

Now we’re at a secluded beach along the pacific coast in Manuel ANtonio. I appreciate my health so much more now after recovering from three days of flu-like symptoms following the festival. I’m even more grateful to have met such an amazing woman during my last weekend in Costa Rica before returning to the States.