There are some moments in life that will leave you absolutely breathless with joy and wonder. The RiSE Festival really tries to convey this idea, and I think to a skeptic it sounds terribly cheesy, but once you go it makes total sense. I love when I think back to RiSE, I feel good. And I don’t mean good in an “okay” way, I mean good in its best form.
I hope everyone gets to experience something they can look back on and think wow, i was so purely happy in that moment.
Because the lantern festival is taking place again this weekend, I thought I’d do a quick write up to share with anyone who wasn’t able to make it out there this year! (And to encourage anyone else to go if they have the tiniest flicker of interest.)
A couple years ago, a few friends from a grade above me in college had planned on making the trip out to Nevada and asked me last minute if I wanted to tag along. I’d never heard of the event since it was the first time it was being held at the Mojave Desert location, and normally my homebody self is so hesitant to just go, but I have a golden rule of always saying yes to once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. I ended up going and it was one of the best decisions I could have made for myself at the time. Thank you, Alexis, for inviting me!
We were encouraged to write out our hopes and dreams on a lantern before sending it up into the sky.
I had read about this and thought it had sounded silly, but in the moment and surrounded by others who were doing the same, I ended up writing too. A LOT.
After the first wave of lanterns was launched together, we were free to release lanterns at our own pace. A group of friends near us was celebrating a 30th birthday, I saw three wedding proposals, I heard exclamations of joy from all around. It felt like everyone there was wrapped up in light.
As I took photos, I knew they couldn’t possibly capture the feeling of being there in person, so I recorded some video as well! I know it’s years later, but I was finally able to put it all together into something watchable with the help of my brother. Thank you, Cole, for helping me edit this into something better than what my imagination had hoped for!
I’m not anywhere in it (although you can hear me happily talking from behind the lens), but here it is! You can watch RiSE through my eyes:
I still think about what I wrote on that lantern sometimes.
RiSE Festival
Mojave Desert | Las Vegas, Nevada | Check the Schedule For Dates