This past weekend marked the 7th anniversary of when my partner and I met. It’s a special story that I would like to share with all of you. For the sake of my privacy, I will leave some details vague. It is a bit long, so the TL;DR is: met a guy at a show, fell in love, and it changed my life.

I had just emerged from a dark time in my life, and I was finally choosing to do what I wanted for the first time without caring what anyone else said. I started attending EDM shows with my friend, which was a long-time interest of ours. We enjoyed several shows together, but I soon wanted to go to more than he could. Fascinated with Electric Forest for years, I decided to go alone after some research. I bought my ticket for Weekend 1 of 2018 as soon as sales began. I was excited but knew it was still a few months away, so I began attending shows solo in the meantime.

The first time was a little awkward, but it became great once I got into the music. It got easier as I realized I could go anywhere I wanted. If I didn’t like the vibe in one spot, I could just move. I didn’t need to tell anyone. People were nice and friendly, which made me comfortable to dance. It was the release and freedom I needed.

I learned about a two-day event in my area and asked on Reddit if attending both days was worth it. The response was a definite yes, so I bought my tickets. I worked in the morning both days of the shows, but after my shift, I changed in the bathroom, grabbed some food, and drove about an hour to the venue. I planned to leave halfway through the main act since I had to work the next day and would be returning for night two.

As soon as I got in line, the energy was electric. We waited outside for about an hour before the doors opened, excitedly sharing stories. I mostly kept to myself but enjoyed overhearing some fun moments. I also bought my first pashmina from a person selling them in line.

Once inside, I noticed the venue was large. I quickly explored to locate the bathrooms, food, and water. I bought my second pashmina at the merch booth (I love pashminas). After grabbing my new pashmina and two bottles of water, I headed toward the speakers. I put in my earplugs (as you should!) and started enjoying the music. The first few openers had great energy, and as their sets continued, the crowd gathered around me, making for an amazing experience.

Then the final opener before the main act started. Their music was intense, and even though I was sober, I felt like I was tripping. Halfway through their set, I had to leave the crowd to take a break. I underestimated how many people had come in while I was focused on the performances. It felt like an endless sea of people as I tried to move to the back. I eventually cut to the side and saw how far forward I had been. After escaping the crowd, I took some time to use the bathroom, refill my water bottles, and grab a pretzel.

It was perfect timing; as I finished my pretzel, the set break began, so I headed back into the crowd. I quickly realized I couldn’t get as far up as before. I moved around, looking for a good spot, and then I bumped into him. He was cute, wearing ear plugs, and seemed to enjoy himself with his friends, so I decided to stand next to him.

As the music started, his energy and that of his friends were infectious. I caught him glancing at me throughout the night, and I found myself doing the same. Just when I planned to leave, he leaned over and said, “Hey, can you believe the set’s only half over?” I laughed and said no, which helped us start talking. When he asked where my friends were, I honestly replied that I was alone. He seemed impressed that I had come to this alone. We chatted more that night between being lost in the music. He and his friends were visiting from out of state just for their favorite artist’s show.

I stayed for the whole show. At the end, we exchanged information, and he invited me to meet up tomorrow. I thought it would be fun, and so I said yes. I went to go my own way back to my car. But in the crowd, I got turned around and bumped into him again. He told me to hold on to the strap of his bag, and I followed him. He was walking the same direction as the parking garage where my car was, so he walked me there, and we said goodbye for the night.

I only got a couple hours of sleep before work the next day. My head was spinning from one of the most fun nights I’d ever had, feeling that there was something special about this guy. I made it through my shift while texting him, getting to know each other better. After my shift, I changed and headed to the venue. Once inside, I sat and stretched at the back, waiting for them to arrive. Then I got a text, “We’re in, look for the party hats.” Sure enough, he and his friends showed up wearing little party hats. 🥳 They introduced themselves and seemed ready to party!

After settling into the crowd, the night began with some energetic openers. His friends sometimes got too wild, and he would gently touch me to switch places. Each touch felt electric, something I had only heard about in songs or movies. When the main act started, and the music began to swell, his excitement grew. “This is my favorite song ever!” he exclaimed as his friends shared in his enthusiasm. The rest of the performance was memorable, leaving lasting memories and messages. As we left, we held hands, and I felt that electric sensation all the way to the parking garage, where we said our goodbyes with hugs.

As luck would have it he and his friends also had tickets to the same weekend for Electric Forest as me. He and I did the long distance thing for a few months before I decided to take the plunge and move to his state. I had been looking to get out on my own for a while and his state’s cost of living was much more reasonable, but definitely not somewhere I ever saw for myself previously. However it’s been totally worth it.

We’ve been having crazy adventures together ever since the moment we met, but we’ve also been working to build a peaceful little life for us and our lovely little pets between the adventures. He’s one of the most amazing people I know and has been a supporter of my dreams since day one. I love him very dearly and am so glad we have decided to spend the rest of our lives together. I could sit here and ramble all day about how much I love him but I feel this has already gotten long enough.

Thank you so much if you took the time to read the whole thing. I truly wouldn’t be where I am today if I had not bumped into this man in the crowd at this show on my own. Take the risks and do what makes you happy.

*The thumbnail image for this post was made using AI*