Bon voyage

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It has taken me a week to pack. With a seven-day cruise to the Western Caribbean on the docket, even Seth is impressed that we, "the most boring people in the world," would actually go do something cool. I laid out all my outfits and thoughtfully placed the appropriate necklaces and earrings on top of each outfit. When satisfied, each of the jewelry selections got tucked away in a zippered baggie and labeled with a Sharpie.  "Purple dress," "Wide teal pants," and so forth. I was quite proud of my progress.

The next step was to make selections for my beloved as well. Gary never relishes packing. Besides, I needed to make sure his black jacket and pants made it on board. No eating in the back room for us! However, my biggest challenge was to figure out how to get it all packed in just two carry-ons. I'm so cheap--no, frugal--that I hate paying the airline checked bag fee. So, I had to muster up all my deep-dwelling organizational talents. I had to prioritize. Only the most necessary stuff could make this trip. No excess. No fluff.

Well, I did it!  After much thought, struggle, and using Space Bags to vacuum pack our clothes, our luggage stands at the ready. I'm not really sure how I will repack at week's end without the aid of a vacuum cleaner to suck the living daylights from those bags but I'll tackle that challenge later.

Then I got to thinking. . .and yes, that can be a dangerous thing! What if I was as calculating in my approach to living? Would I be able to discern between necessary and unnecessary? Could I unclutter my thoughts and see truth? Wouldn't a simple life lived in focused attention be a wonderful thing?

I plan on spending a week on a large boat sailing across an even larger ocean with very small, well-packed suitcases. I hope the world will slow down. I trust the winds will carry away my worries, the salty air cleanse my mind. I will run and jump and climb. I will swim and I will sun. I will read and think and contemplate. And when I return, I pray that I can live a streamlined life not weighed down by extraneous "stuff."

Comments

Rick Gray said…
The yoga instructor at our gym has two sayings that Tammy and I typically make fun of, but they are very fitting here. The first is to "breath in deeply and exhale completely" (maybe not so fitting) and the other is "just let it go". Now I would probably say to just relax. Live the carefree life for a short time. I hope you and Gary have a great time.
January 11, 2010 at 8:10 AM
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