A Soul on Fire

By April 23, 2015 Guest Post

Samantha Assael, a 3rd year Wild Goose Festival volunteer, wrote this beautiful essay which gained her acceptance into UNC Asheville! Way to go, Samantha! And thank you for this moving description of the Wild Goose.
wild goose festival teens

“Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you? “

When contemplating the most content moments of my life, my mind automatically travels to my yearly summer pilgrimage to the breathtaking mountains of Hot Springs, North Carolina. Embedded below the Blue Ridge landscape, there is a campground bursting with nature’s beautiful simplicity; dirt pathways lined with green leafy trees that canopy overhead, the French Broad River flowing alongside it with resting spots that catch the perfect amount of sunshine or cool shade. The sky is wide and spacious in a way that makes me feel alive, part of something much greater than myself. Between the peace of the rushing river, the melodic calls of the birds, the sight of playful butterflies seemingly dancing with one another, and buzzing insects laboring for their next meal, the land seems to be in perfect harmony. Every summer, for four very special days, this campground becomes so much more than just pretty scenery and wide open space for me. This campground becomes a place of unconditional love and acceptance for all people, no matter what race, ethnicity, gender identification, sexual preference, cultural, faith or non-faith tradition. For four days, the Wild Goose Festival is home to all seekers who desire a world of radical peace, of truth spoken in love, of equality and social justice that recognizes the dignity and inherent goodness of all people. It is in this environment that I feel most content because I have a deep sense of belonging and purpose as a liberal Christian. Within this community, I have witnessed personal discoveries, truths unearthed, and wounds healed, including my own.

The atmosphere of the festival also feeds my creative soul. As a Wild Goose volunteer, I am a leader in the youth tent. There I have the privilege of listening to pre-teens share their stories and struggles, their dreams and aspirations. I have the opportunity to inspire these younger peers through the sharing of my own stories, facilitating meaningful art projects, and creating fun games. As a Wild Goose participant, I am a listener of a different sort, hearing and taking in new ideas about faith, spirituality, and justice to bring home and practice in my local community.

Year after year, I am honored to take part in this transformational experience. I look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones. I am most fulfilled when I get together with people of various backgrounds and passions to wrestle out the important questions of life. Every conversation always teaches me something I had never thought about before. Each question that is asked opens a new perspective for me. From sunup to sundown, each year it is clear that these are my peeps, that this is my ideal of healthy community. In this place, I am a leader, a listener, a learner, a giver, a receiver and most importantly, a soul on fire!