That's right. My travel bag. I'll set the scene for you. Six and a half hour train ride (we won't discuss the return trip that lasted 10 hours!), four days, activities to include hiking on snowy trails, sports brunch, trip the movies, a hot tub, yoga and whatever other fun we could cook up. Notice I even brought two books (three by the time I returned home) and a water bottle.
I could wax poetic about packing techniques (the Martha Stewart roll), tips such as wear the snow boots on the train, or even how the "natural" look for face and hair saves space. I truly had everything that I needed. Cold gear for trails, a clean outfit every day, hot tub attire...even a straight iron. Everything I needed for my trip was in my "Mary Poppins" bag. There could also be a great therapist couch conversation about the roots of my packing light being an unstable childhood home situation that involved leaving quickly and often. All are true, but not the reason I travel light. Because really, the small bag is a metaphor for simple abundance.
Simple abundance and a life of gratitude, I have come to learn, do not mean sacrifice or martyrdom. Gratitude for what I have has come as I become more certain of what I need. What I need to feel well physically, emotionally and spiritually. It means having enough, covering the possibilities, but in a way that decisively limits the excess. At times, for me this has meant adding to my possessions more than downsizing. But that isn't any better than someone who collects unnecessary things. Both are extremes that represent imbalance.
And while I have the literal "packing" under control, I still strive for balance in my every day life. Judging less, hiking more, listening and defining what I need and want in my relationships. Achieving balance is most often accomplished by letting go of the past, the future that I can't control, and learning to be present fully in the moment.
Gratitude today for:
- Sturdy travel bags
- New hiking boots
- Enduring friendships
