61.5 pounds.
This was the exact weight of my suitcase when I checked in at the airport last night.
50 pounds is the airline limit.
Which means you either have to pay 100 dollars or take out 11.5 pounds of stuff.
You then need to locate a suitcase belonging to someone in your group that weighs less than 38.5 pounds. Once you have found the lucky owner of the featherweight luggage, you combine yours with theirs.
Super fun.
This was the scene at the airport yesterday.
This was not our first rodeo of luggage shifting.
And each time, I promised myself I would do better on the next flight.
Yesterday was my next time.
And frankly, it was worse.
Why did I think I needed 6 pairs of pants, 14 shirts, 4 pairs of pajamas, 10 big balls of yarn (as if I were going to crochet 10 blankets while I was gone) 5 pairs of shoes, and art supplies for months? Did I think I would suddenly turn into Superwoman who could accomplish more in 7 days than I typically do in a whole year?
Was I suddenly going to wear 20 different outfits when I am completely content with wearing the same thing five days in a row at home.
The beauty of staying in a hotel or somewhere other than your house is the simplicity of not having too many choices. It is like going to get your nails done, and they ask you to pick a color, and they hand you 10,000 shades of pink, purple, and red.
Just give me 10 choices.
Not 10,000.
It’s paralyzing and burdensome.
Carrying a light suitcase in life (metaphorically speaking) allows you to go places creatively, financially, and emotionally that you cannot otherwise go to when you are saddled with too much of the weight of life.
It’s simply a lie that you need MORE THINGS to be happy.
You see, simplicity makes way for freedom.
Freedom from the weight of thinking we need more things, more stuff, and more choices.
If we need more of anything, we need more days admiring the sunset art God creates each evening.
We need more WONDER for the beauty of His creation.
We need more moments of lasting memories made with those that matter.
We need more reminding ourselves that He is ALWAYS FAITHFUL.
And only then will your heart experience true freedom.
Practically speaking, on the home front, if you feel burdened with too much stuff, take ten minutes each day and go through one drawer and find things you have been holding onto that you simply do not need or want any longer. By the end of the year, you will be amazed at how much space, literally and figuratively, you have to do what really matters.
To do what really matters for eternity.
Contentedness is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself this year.
For we brought nothing in the world and we can take nothing out of it. I Timothy 6:7
