Traveling into the Light

There is an art to traveling light.

‘Traveling is a fool’s paradise. We owe to our first journeys the discovery that place is nothing. At home, I dream that at Naples, at Rome, I can be intoxicated with beauty, and lose my sadness. I pack my trunk, embrace my friends, embark on the sea, and at last wake up in Naples, and there beside me is the stern Fact, the sad self, unrelenting identical that I fled from.‘  ~ Emerson

It pays to check your ‘luggage’ often..and as thoroughly as you possibly can. 😃

Like an old purse that can become heavy with forgotten items, we can become filled with stresses, fears and weariness that we’ve accumulated.   Things that we have thoughtlessly allowed to settle to the bottom of our bags.  Our hand-wringing, laying awake at night selves that Emerson spoke of.

In real life travel, I usually discover that I’ve packed way too much.  I overthink things and take lots of ‘just in case’ stuff.  Personally, as much as I hate to admit it, I think it’s a subconscious attempt to try and control life which of course just smacks of fear 😉 .  (Being spontaneous comes with a measure of risk so the ‘just take it all, including the kitchen sink AND then you will be safe’ mode kicks in 😉 )
Well, as any fool will tell you,  excess baggage ain’t no picnic.  You might be prepared for a tsunami but you’ll drown due to the sheer weight of your preparedness!

Unnecessary baggage impedes the ability to enjoy the present which is all we ever have.

I’ve been observing myself of late.  With many things on my plate I have been actively choosing to not place extras (like worries) in my bag for the day.  I am finding an abundance of peace in this.  I mention it here to remind you and me that we do have a choice.  Like packing our suitcase for an around the world trip, we get to select what we are willing to travel with.  Granted, there are certain things in life that cannot be changed but there are many more things that can.  We get to pick what we will carry forward with us into life, into our day, and so important…into creative work.

We can’t do our best stuff when exhausted from carrying around overstuffed bags. One can only imagine how much of our JOY, our energy, our enthusiasm for life is swallowed up and lost to us. And creativity! Don’t even get me started!

I want to free up those spaces in my bag for beauty.
For fun bits.
For laughter and peace.

And with all the space that is left, I want to flood it with lighter than air LOVE.

For the gift of this life.
For saying yes even when I’m scared.
For believing.
For trusting.
For traveling
into the light.

What do you think you are carrying with you that you might be able to discard?  Leaving room for the good stuff which weighs nothing at all?