Chosen

August 24, 2023

I went on vacation, and now I want less.

If you're like me, before you head out of town, you write down what you think you should pack. Then you step back, squint at the list, and decide you're delusional. You cross some things off and do your best to squish the rest into your suitcase or car as your children sneak random toys into the cracks. Eventually you reach a point where volume of packed items = volume of container, and you cross your fingers and hit the road. Of course, when you get where you're going, you realize all you forgot. So you buy some toothbrushes and make the rest work. You soon come to appreciate the blessing of fewer things = fewer things to clean up.

After arriving home from a recent trip in which we neglected to bring important supplies but nevertheless had a blast. I found myself looking around our rooms, sorting our stuff into categories in my head... not "needed vs. not needed," but "things chosen for a reason vs. clutter that has somehow made its way into my life." And that's when I realized one of the unconscious but deep pleasures of traveling: Each item you bring is chosen deliberately, for a purpose... and when you use it as you'd intended, it makes you happy. It means you chose wisely.

People always say to use vacation as a time to free your brain of clutter so wisdom can seep in. Applying newfound wisdom to your everyday life, though, is a fresh challenge. I'll get right on that...as soon as I can clear a spot on my calendar.

—Deb