Concert goers plus alcohol: where have all the manners gone?

It started out as a very nice evening of live music, shared with a bunch of like-minded people. We had lawn tickets so we got there early and staked out a nice spot with our comforter and chairs. Unfortunately, those who had chosen to arrive later and made their first stop, one of the many purveyors of alcohol, were not inclined to respect those who had made the effort to arrive early and set up their spaces. We were treated to people walking into us, traipsing over our blanket, rushing in to take over someone’s space, when they’d only gone to get another drink or use the restroom. But the most shining example was the whiney little chit in too-tight short shorts who spent the evening waving her butt in the faces of everyone around her, and wearing a look on her face that said “Aren’t I the cutest little twerker you ever did see?”

I was half tempted to video her little show and put it on Facebook, but why encourage the terminally clueless? She was clearly in appropriate company though, as her friend didn’t take kindly to my suggestion that she be a little more considerate of others, and not walk on peoples’ blankets, and thumped me in the head when she walked by my chair.

Despite it all, we did enjoy the concert, though we were both pretty tense until we got out of the parking lot. Fortunately, our early arrival put us in a perfect spot to make a quick exit. The further we got from the venue, the more we relaxed in the glow of an evening that was mostly well spent, and full of amazing musical performances.

The Band Perry was amazing, as usual, and Neal McCoy did a phenomenal job of filling the spaces between acts with both his musical talents and comedic repartee. Blake Shelton has a truly amazing repertoire of songs, though I found his addiction to alcohol a bit tedious after the first couple of references.

I know that this is making me sound very judgmental about those who drink, but nothing could be further from the truth. I have no problem with those who drink in moderation, and I am sensitive to those who seriously have an addiction. But having had two alcoholic parents and an alcoholic husband, my patience with those who abuse but don’t seek help has worn perilously thin over the years. I will never truly understands what drives a person to damage both their health and their life without realizing they’re doing it, and without seeing that they need help in order to solve their problem. On a cognitive level, I know that they have to reach a point where they, themselves, realize they have a problem. But on a personal level, I just don’t understand why, sometimes, that point has to be so drastic and often devastating for themselves and others. I simply don’t have the experience from that side of the bar, to understand what drives a person with an addictive personality.

All I know and can respond to is how a person who has diminished their inhibitions, common sense and self-respect with alcohol looks on the surface, and from my perspective, it just isn’t attractive. Young women dressed scantily and falling all over the place because they’ve had too much to drink completely perplex me. Do they not care about the impression they are making? Men who get sloppy and either paw or hang all over the women around them are equally perplexing.

But they’re not me and I’m not them, so the best I can do is to gather my energy field tightly around me and try not to give it all more attention than it deserves. The other option is to simply stop doing some of the things I love because other people see fit to dull both their common sense and their self-respect in the name of a good time; which, by the way, they’ll probably not remember anyway!

For the most part, a good time was had by all, and sleep should come easily tonight.

But the music was amazing and the company was grand. We had our picnic on the hillside and chatted for awhile before the insanity began, so, if nothing else, I’ll call it an evening well-spent with my favorite person, and call it a night.

My gratitudes tonight are:
1. I am grateful for examples of people disrespecting others as it reminds me to continue to work on being kind and considerate.
2. I am grateful for nights out with my daughter.
3. I am grateful for my many short vacations this year.
4. I am grateful that the lessons just keep on coming.
5. I am grateful for abundance; kindness, consideration, patience, tolerance, love,harmony, peace, health and prosperity.

Namaste