I once read a travel advice column that advised packing old underwear when you go on vacation and then throwing the underwear away, giving you extra room in your suitcase for the trip home. I guess this could be useful advice, but underwear doesn't take up that much room and, if you travel often, won't be much help unless you are buying a lot of new underwear.
I've spent the last few days at a conference and am packing my suitcase. I'm bringing home all my underwear, but the program book, the random handouts and brochures, my badge, even the complimentary conference tote bag will be staying in my hotel room. I can easily leave them behind.
There is a great song by Nanci Griffith, Things I Don't Need. The refrain goes,
These things I don't need that weigh me down
Things I don't want but still keep around
I woke up today and made up my mind
From now on I'll leave all those things I don't need behind
It makes me think of what gets left behind on a journey. Of course you leave money, and some other material possessions. But what else? It seems you can leave things you no longer need, things you may have found have outlived their usefulness in your life. Old thoughts, old habits, old feelings. But, maybe sometimes, you have to leave behind things you will miss. Old relationships, old security objects, old desires and wishes. Not everything that gets left is as simple as discarded underwear, some things you leave are harder to let go of, harder to see as burdens. And maybe they aren't burdens, maybe they are joys and hopes and wishes and safety. And maybe you still have to leave them. And it will be sad.
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