Pack Light!

I lived in upstate New York for twenty-one years. My time there forged family memories and friendships I won't ever forget! It was a wonderful time in my life. I moved to Georgia at twenty-one and became engaged at twenty-three.

My husband, Victor, and I decided we would marry in New York as all of my family and a majority of his family still lived there. We travelled there to begin making arrangements. It was winter time and after most of the initial plans were set, Vic decided he wanted to try his hand at northern skiing, having only done so in the Carolinas. And so . . . we began to pack for a three day stay up around Jiminy Peak.

Two people packing for a ski trip in the northeast is a little crazy. First, you should have warm thermals, then there's the jeans, the shirts, the undergarments, the sweaters, the jackets, scarves, hats, mittens, gloves, all the ski paraphernalia, and of course, the socks. Lots and lots of socks. If your feet are cold . . . you're a goner! So, for just the two of us, we had no less than three suitcases just chock full of all our goodies AND the ski gear.

Although the ski trip was lots of fun and full of laughs, the packing and unpacking was a little less than enjoyable.

Fast forward six to eight months and we are now married! Yay! Honeymoon time!

For our week long excursion, we chose St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. (A definite must-do if anyone is wondering!) We began to make a pile of the things we would need to take to make our journey complete. As opposed to our Massachusetts excursion, this pile seemed anorexic at best. Bathing suits, shorts, t-shirts, sandals. I think the camera was the bulkiest item we had. For seven days we packed a small portion of a flight-sized duffle bag. The trip was surreal and spectacular.

Today, I want you to think that every day is a tropical vacation . . . no matter where you live, and no matter what you do. Pack light, my friends! There is absolutely NO reason to carry around baggage that weighs you down. Your past is your past. Leave it boxed up in your attic with markered writing stating:  Can't Change It. Can't Alter It. Can't Take It With Me.  The hurts and pains of things you wish had turned out this way or that are irrevelant. When you learn to let them go, and lighten your load, your travelling becomes much more exciting. You can go farther. You can stay longer. You marvel at small miracles instead of miring in the muck!

My mom used to say, in her final years, no matter where she was or what she was doing that, "I'm on vacation." If she chose not to fix dinner, she didn't. If she didn't want to clean and vacuum, she played a game on her computer instead. If she chose not to deal with family bs, she'd sit at her keyboard and sing herself silly. She learned to lose the baggage that weighed her down. I think that, in finally letting go of the things she couldn't change, it made her voyage Home a happier and much easier transition.

My friends . . . Pack Light! Take with you those things that keep you smiling and progressing in a positive direction. Pack Light!