Below are videos of the Live at 35 concert and Southwest Airlines promotion describing the trip.
Imagine Dragons Live at 35 Destination Dragons Tour
I can't believe it's already been a month since I left on the most amazing once- in- a- lifetime trip. So, naturally, I need to write about it.
When my friend, Beatrice, called to tell me she had won the Grand Prize to tour with Imagine Dragons for 6 days (official trip name was Destination Dragons) I thought it was too good to be true. So I didn't allow myself to become excited about it until the day before the trip.
Tickets in hand, we left the house Friday Feb. 20 at the unforgiving hour of 2:30 a.m. for Los Angeles, California.
That first night at Troubadour was unforgettable. We were so close to the stage we were almost front row. Dan reached out and touched our hands, made eye contact with and sang to me. He took turns with several members in the audience. It was so intimate and better than anything I could ever imagine.
We met several people from and outside the group in LA. Every city we went to, we met other people who were flown in for a one night concert. Beatrice quickly and naturally struck up a conversation with anyone who was standing in line about how she won the tickets, while it took me a while to warm up to people. She made friends so quickly and easily.
I was dumbfounded and a bit jealous, I'll admit. But I took it as a healthy challenge to break the mold and talk to people.
The next morning, Saturday Feb. 21 we left for Provo, Utah and saw them at Velour. Our plane was delayed which ultimately made us later for the concert and further away from the stage. We craned around cellphones the whole time, which took away from the enjoying the concert. But we had three other concerts to look forward to.
Sunday Feb. 22 we arrived in Vegas and spent two days there. We stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel and saw them at a venue in the hotel called The Joint Monday, 23. We were front stage right this time-- right up against the railing.
We had signs made the night before from a vendor on Freemont Street with Dan's picture on it with the caption "Destination Dragons." We caught Dan (singer) and Platz's (drummer), and Ben's (bass) attention with the signs. Wayne (guitar) was too far to the left to see the sign. At the beginning of the show Dan looked over at a break in the song and saw the signs and smiled. We were closest to Platz and he kept making eye contact with us.
We got on the plane Tuesday Feb 24 with Imagine Dragons to Atlanta. They waited until we were 35,000 ft in the air (Live at 35) and played acoustic versions of "Radioactive," "Demons," and after much prompting "On Top of the World." It was the most incredible experience ever.
We had called "encore" before at other concerts but they did not come back. However, they obliged this time. Dan said they didn't usually come back when the crowd called encore because it was awkward. But it was more awkward to sit down and then have to get back up and crawl over people to perform.
Some of the passengers had no idea they would be on board with Imagine Dragons. Dan apologized because they had no where to go; Ben quipped they would know we were angry if we pressed the call button repeatedly. Of course no one did. Afterward, Dan came back and shook hands with us and took his time with everyone.
The next morning I awoke to find out my picture had been shown on Good Morning America.
The last concert was in Atlanta, Georgia at Terminal West. This was the night that topped all nights. We had our meet and greet with them, took a picture, talked to them and handed them a letter.
We were stage front and center making eye contact with Platz and Ben (mostly Platz); Plaz pointed, waved, gave hard hearts and winked at me and Amy. At the end of the show Platz kneeled down in front of us and gave us each a drumstick.
All of the concerts were standing room only with a couple hundred of us jammed elbow to elbow in the venue that made for uniquely intimate shows.
I blinked and it was all over.
I have felt like an insignificant human being that nothing interesting ever happens to. I have struggled with feeling undeserving. But I would never have been able to dream up such an incredible event would happen to me. It was real. It happened; and I will remember it forever.
Like I said earlier, it takes me a while to warm up to people. It was hard to break out of my mold and meet new people. I thought "No one wants to hear from me. I'm not interesting." So it was a complete surprise when people started talking to me and were actually interested in what I was saying. They didn't put me down like I was anticipating.
1st realization: people who were not raised in the church seemed to be much more friendly and accepting even though I was different from them. They quickly became like family; much quicker than I have experienced with most Christians.
2nd realization: I've been living the Christian life the wrong way. I'm not supposed to hide from the world because I'm afraid-- I'm supposed to go out and teach others because they need Christ. It's not about me and how safe I feel.
Again, I heard those same voices in my head telling me "I'm not good enough" "No one wants to listen to me" "you're going to fail" "you're not strong enough."
I was around drinking, smoking, and cursing. It actually strengthened me to be around it and not be as tempted as I thought I would be. I have never smoked or tried a drop of alcohol and I don't think I need to start now. To me, I see it as a way of escaping problems instead of dealing with them. Working around problems creates monsters and I have plenty of other demons to handle.
They quickly saw that I was not engaging in their activities (this was especially true in Vegas) and when they saw that, they respected me. They didn't try to push me into anything or criticize me for my choices. I still liked being around them and they still liked being around me.
Associating with people who lead racey lifestyles means that others may assume you are like them. When people saw Jesus eating with prostitutes and tax collectors they thought they were his best friends, when everyone else considered them to be scum of the earth.
Isn't that what Christianity is all about? (without condoning a lifestyle that Christ would not condone) and showing them the way to Christ?
Everyone is made in the image of Christ. God loves everyone and wants them all to be saved. He may not like what they do, but He still loves the person regardless. Isn't that what I'm supposed to do?
Plant a seed. Keep pushing your boundaries. Others will see that you're different and have questions. That will be your opportunity to explain Christ to them, so always be ready.
Christianity isn't about sitting in a pew and attending services regularly. It's about how you live your life, who you reach out to, what differences you make. It's about being different. It's about stepping out of your comfort zone.
Jesus took twelve men for apostles and they followed Jesus for two reasons: 1) Learn from Jesus so they can teach others and 2) Jesus needed encouragement.
3rd realization: I am not as far removed from mental abuse as I thought I was. When you're bullied for seven years and suffer from other abusive relationships (another story another time) you become frightened of the world thinking everyone is out to get you; and that is definitely not the case. Some people are not good to be around. But I thought the problem was me because it seemed like i couldn't keep friends. Actually, the problem with how I viewed myself. I attracted the wrong people by my type of thinking.
I'm not a screw up. I'm a beautiful human being.
What I had known to be the safest place on earth-- the church-- was actually becoming a prison. Many put on a facade that they're better than everyone else.
WAKE UP CALL: no one is better than anyone else.
4th realization: Life is beautiful and full of mistakes. As long as I learn from the mistakes and keep trying, I'm gonna be okay.
5th realization: Follow your dreams no matter what.
For a long time I thought I'm not good enough, and I could never follow my dreams or I'd fail. It would be best for me to do something more practical. Do the things others expect me to do.
But what I saw was five regular guys living and sacrificing to live their dream. What's the difference between them and me? Nothing except courage. But I can have that same courage. I decided then and there I'm never going to let depression, the past, or negative thinking stand in the way of my dreams. In many of Imagine Dragon's songs they talk about depression and not letting depression rule his life anymore.
Listen to "Polaroid" and "Radioactive." I feel like they're singing about my life. They were so encouraging to me in their songs and how they acted towards their fans. They were humble and down-to-earth.
My fire is lit and I'm not looking back. I have crazy ambitious dreams and I'm gonna pursue them with every fiber of my being. Or else I'll be forever second guessing myself, unhappy and unsatisfied with life. I can't go back to where I was before-- unhappy, depressed, secluded. I now think of ways to have adventures and meet other people. It keeps me from going back into my shell.
There is no greater joy in life than to experience true freedom from depression. You choose your mind set, your attitude, everything. You have the power to accomplish whatever you want to accomplish; and when you reach the sky keep going.
The sky is only the limit if you think it is.
