Choosing to focus on the positives rather than the negatives
Reflections from a weekend away
This past weekend I went to Timeless, an electronic and house music festival. Looking back, it was a weekend with many positives.
The line-up was a high-profile mix of international acts such as Röyksopp, Parra for Cuva, and Dominik Eulberg, along with some South African acts that have gone international, most notably Culoe de Song and Sun-El-Musician. The performances were incredible. The crowds were more diverse than any other festival I’ve been to. The location on the Elandskloof farm was remarkable. I went with someone whom I love dearly, and we had lots of chilled, quality time together after what’s been a busy start to the year.
But not everything went according to plan.
A handful of the other headlining international acts were no shows. Christian Loffler, Booka Shade and Sebastian leger all cancelled last minute. The performance times were changed with no communication to festival goers, and many missed some of their favourite artists as a result. The generator ran out of diesel midway through Culoe de Song's incredible set, and he didn’t get to finish as there was no contingency plan in place. Campers had to carry camping gear and luggage for more than a kilometre in and out. Others who bought VIP tickets didn't get the upgrade in facilities that they had expected.
Understandably, some festival-goers are upset.
Whilst some of the social media backlash has been constructive, most has been vitriolic. I'm sure if someone asked those folks how their weekend was, they would launch into a rant about everything that went wrong. I too could adopt this approach. I would also add to it that my backpack was stolen on the final night of the event. I would lament on how it had my favourite down jacket in it, and that that particular jacket is not available in South Africa. Although it is all valid, it’s not particularly useful to dwell on those aspects.
The weekend was not defined by those negative experiences, and it would be self-sabotaging to adopt that narrative.
Instead, I’ll dive deeper into the positives. I met some great people amidst a sea of fantastic strangers. A particular highlight was partying with this adorable couple in their fifties—very much in love—who only started listening to electronic music a couple of years ago. (Tanya and Rodney, if you ever read this, you guys are amazing!) I talked to some super talented DJs backstage: DJ Pierre, Jullian Gomes, and the amazing, humble Culoe de Song (without even realising who he was at first, embarrassingly). I danced until my legs were sore. I had a special time with someone I loved, and it felt like our relationship deepened.
This mindset has not always come easily for me.
An old manager of mine was ever the optimist. He frequently quoted Karl Popper, saying ‘optimism is a moral duty’. I could never hold on to that, instead preferring the Buddha’s first noble truth, ‘life is suffering’.
Now, I’m trying to live with both of these things in tension. And whilst I stub my toes every now and again, getting caught up in cynical thinking, my mindset has improved dramatically.
You find more of what you look for, I guess.
