One of my favorite places in Colorado is Red Rocks Amphitheater. Although I have explored there a number of times before, I have never ever been able to experience the music performed there. This summer I was finally able to attend my first Red Rocks concert and it was one of the best experiences I will take with me for the rest of my life.

The night was beautiful. The seats we sat in were just high enough that we could see the stage, the jagged, impressive rocks, and the illumination coming from the city of Denver. The music seemed to put everyone, including me, into a separate reality that only us and the performers were in. Everything else was a blur. Hearing the lyrics and melody of the time was a natural high. It is in these moments that make me glad to be alive.

However, one single thought came to my head. Here we are breathing in the music, but also we have to document every single living thing we do on our Smart Phones. I am guilty of this. We all rely heavily on the gadgets that are strapped to our sides. We do not even think about how much time we spend on them; it is all second nature to us.

I came to conclusion that night. Why do we have to spend so much time in our phone world that we are really missing out on all the experiences life brings us? For instance, take the concert I attended. Everyone, including me, is snapping a pic there, taking a video here, or posting on social media. We are missing out on the experience brought before us! UGH! I am mad at myself because instead of being there in the moment during the concert I was distracted with documenting my life on the small gadget!

I have learned my lesson. Experience is way more important than posting a picture of what the stage looked like or updating my status when in reality none of those things matter. If there is one thing I have learned in the past year, it is that you have to live in the moment. Every living second is an experience. There are ups and downs. There is joy AND sorrow. There are rights and wrongs. There are comforts and regrets. These and many more make up this experience we all call life.

I have come up with a new goal for myself. Experience the moments, not the distractions. You cannot go back or forward. Put away the phone (or whatever else is distracting you), and be bold, and just live.

DISCLAIMER: I said I was distracted during the concert by my stupid cell phone, but I still did had a great experience. The experience led me to a new life lesson and to be able to just be with the music then. I got to have an unforgettable night with close friends, talented artists, and the beauty that Colorado always has to offer.

“Sometimes you gotta bleed to know / That you’re alive and have a soul” - Twenty One Pilots