This blog is a rewrite from a Desert Hearts event that I went to in 2014, a very sentimental piece for me.
This print above was given to me by Sunshine Ray, a bright eyed smiley man with no shirt that I met in the middle of a fantastic party in the desert! One of the few prints I picked up from Ray, and then gifted to my family. This American Flag became a wedding gift to my uncle and his wife, where it remains posted in their house to this day!
In the year 2014, a close friend of mine named Max Hyman invited me to Desert Hearts in Apple Valley, California. Just so happened the event would be close in proximity, both in distance and timing to my uncle's wedding - one of our very rare family gatherings. Needless to say I was very excited to visit my friends and family for this special weekend.
I had just recently began working on Rhapsodic Global; only knowing so far that I would follow my heart and create a networking space for us to celebrate our passions together. Desert Hearts happens to be composed of a team of friends who decided to follow their passion for creating incredible events, so I had to see!
I had already seen the DH crew once before at an invent in Los Angeles called Sunday Service, introduced that time by another friend as the Tropical Hearts Crew. I was there assisting Reggie Grinzy with his House of Hooligans record painting gig. Reggie was also there when I originally met Max at Lightning in a Bottle 2012, through a loved one.
Wandering away from the group during one of our dance sessions, I found Max making wire wraps and he introduced me to some of his wonderful friends. Every experience I've had with all of the people I just mentioned, named and unnamed, have all been magical beyond belief at times showing me how small the world is.
Back to 2014, it was an interesting turning point in my life as I was having a hard time finding anyone to cover my shifts at work, but wasn't giving up. I had to make a decision, it was easy, I put in my two weeks notice and left to Southern California for Desert Hearts and the Family Wedding.
I had this crazy notion that I could use a small $5k inheritance to quit my job and start a social networking business online, which is literally laughable now. I was sure though, so I committed to the experience and made my way to see the family! I then borrowed and drove my aunties van to the DH party in the middle of the desert.
When I arrived, Max greeted me at the gate and showed me where to park. Max was there to spin fire and I was there as his assistant. He gave me a copper wrapped piece made with sun bleached quartz which he made himself. The conductive wire wrap affirmed the bright and intense energy I identified with then, and many other times in life.
The party was amazing, Desert Hearts really deserves a dedicated promotion of their own, they really know how to dazzle using that vibrancy to spread loving ideals and thoughtful reminders. The festival was complete with camping, a bumping wild stage, arts and recreation, beautiful people everywhere, it's an experience worth having for sure.
Little did I know I was about to have a life changing revelation, a miracle if you will.. After my first lap around entire festival, I had somehow lost the keys to my aunties van! I was not sure when or where I lost the keys; all I knew then was that my phone was nearly dead, I didn't know where I was, the family wedding was the next day and I had no transportation.
Once I noticed the keys were gone, I had to act fast retracing my steps back to everywhere I had already been that day. This was a fairly large event and the night was still young. It was before sundown actually when I began searching, without a clue. I walked all over, meeting people and asking if they had seen my keys.
I still wanted to have a good time, so I would make small talk along the way trying to be more than 'just some random guy stressing over his lost keys.' A few times I was told to find an organizer named Perception, she would be able to help me they said. I never did meet the person, but finding perception is what blew my mind in the end.
I learned about the Holy Trinity, how spirit exist in all things. You could find me later on asking a plant if it knew where my keys were. I probably met a dozen or more amazing people including Sunshine Ray who's print is still with my family now. Still I was beginning to feel stuck, in the dark, cold desert.
Finally a little luck, the trunk of my aunties van was unlocked and I found a decent blanket to keep warm. It was cold. By the morning I started to worry that I wouldn't make the wedding, even using the rest of my cell phone battery to call my family to tell them I basically didn't know if I would ever make it out of where ever I was.
I remember walking down by the gate security where I first arrived. The sun was rising and the party was still alive. Coming full circle I was told once again by the gate keeper, "Find Perception, she usually checks in with everybody and would probably know if anyone found your keys." Hopeful, but running out of time I laughed to myself.
As I walked down the road I knew there was only a few hours left before the wedding. I thought to myself in a sleepless haze (remember I was talking to plants earlier that evening). I thought, "Where is this Perception anyway? Who is she and how can I find her? What if really I just need to find a different 'perception' of this situation?"
Sure I was worried about the van and missing the wedding, letting my family down and maybe even angering my auntie. But when you know there's nothing you can do, well my mind was beginning to open up as I thought to myself.. Really all in all I wasn't having a bad time, there was music and arts and all sorts of wonders about.
I started thinking to myself that with everything that happened, I was meeting all the people I needed to meet and having all the experiences I needed to have. I decided that I really had no way of understanding why things turn out the way they do, and that no matter what happened next I was grateful for the experience.
It was about noon by then, let's call it 11:11AM for fun. I was proud of my profound conclusion to this all nighter 'search party.' I went back to Max who had been sleeping, I wanted to tell him what happened and how I was making peace with my situation. But what happened next is like I mentioned earlier, almost unbelievable.
I arrived back to Max's tent as he was waking up, and I said to him everything I just wrote above about finding a better perception of my current reality. By the time I finished telling the story, someone I had met earlier in the night was walking up to us with the keys in his hand saying, "Are these your keys?"
Not even sure if I could believe my eyes, I said thank you then hugged my friends and hit the road! Somewhat remembering how to get to the nearby Walmart, I followed my sense of direction there and raced to get a phone charger. I remember driving around the parking lot until my phone turned on to call my family.
After making a few phone calls I figured out where I needed to be, plugged into the maps, got there got dressed and made it to the wedding with two minutes to spare! I literally went from giving up to cheerful acceptance, back into emergency go mode, and then triumphantly arriving on time to celebrate the love with my family.
I watched as the wind picked up little leaves and sparkly looking particulates into the air while the minister read about God, so grateful to see my family getting bigger with a great faith in my heart. I knew then as I know now that whatever this life seems to be about, it seems to be about as magical as I can allow myself to believe it.
A lot has happened since then, I'm grateful to reminisce as I wander the high desert once again. I've seen Rhapsodic Global pick up in momentum through networking events, influencing large public projects and independent creators. I've gotten to know success and failure, numerous times, both my own and that of others always in attendance to support growth.
People have expressed that Rhapsodic Global validated their passion. Some have gotten so excited they began frequently calling me to share their ideas. I've been told I would be risking my livelihood by trying to create peace and prosperity, warned or thanked for doing so. Some have expressed a respect for the design and threatened to compete, while others didn't say anything at all, and many still don't even understand what it is I'm doing.
I've felt it all and kept my belief strong through the years.
As I come to terms with who I am and my commitments, I understand now that it really is important to find my ideal perception of any given situation. I may not be able to control events and circumstances around me, but I can keep a positive attitude and stay focused on appreciating the journey as it unfolds. I always find a way as long as I don't give up, in that awareness I am fully capable.
I don't know exactly how my plans will turn out, but it brings me peace to know that I am fully committed to discovering where all of this will go, and that everywhere I've been has been perfectly meant to be. It's taken many failures to recognize what it is I need to do, and I don't imagine everything will be perfect from here on. But at least I have this memory as a reminder to determine a perception which opens doors and leaves room for miracles.
From this space of commitment I will cultivate the state of mind that breeds success!
Look what I found one day after publishing this post!
Here's a treat for those who read this far,
Starts out with some normal ChulaMent'n, then I find a new groove. I sing a song to my dog, and then share the first song I wrote with the ChulaMent - Truly Chula, which is the title song of the album I'm working on called True Love Honey.
This Thoughts & Blogs post was written by Anthony DeLuca of AnthonyJosephDeLuca.com, and donated to be shared on RhapsodicGlobal.org!