[Said in a sassy tone, of course. Complete with finger-snapping, neck-rolling, and the whole nine yards.]
Anybody who has ever traveled with someone else or has ever been in an airport knows there will always be at least one person who has way too many bags. Maybe you are one of those people, actually. It never ceases to amaze me how much crap people will bring with them on a trip.
I went to New Jersey earlier this year. On the way to my flight I saw one person check in 19 bags. Nineteen bags. What on earth does one person need with nineteen bags? I mean, doesn’t the baggage fee mean anything to these people?
If anyone wants to charge me $50 to check in a bag, I’d rather burn that bag up before I pay $50. Not because I’m cheap (I’m frugal, actually, haha). But because in the grand scheme of things, the bag and its contents are worth nothing. It’s just STUFF.
Our obsession with lugging around so much excess is also indicative of how much emotional baggage we carry in our minds. Our crowded homes and our inability to part with stuff is a reflection of our mental state. We’re so attached to emotional baggage that it becomes a part of who we are and many of us don’t even know it.
The truth is emotional baggage is what is keeping us from living the best lives, having the best careers, and being in loving relationships.
Do I think it’s possible to eliminate all emotional baggage? For most people, probably not. I wouldn’t fly anywhere overnight without at least a change of clothes. I don’t like the thought of living in a house with nothing in it. And I’d rather be dead than wipe out all my past memories (which helped shaped me into who I am today) in the name of getting rid of all my emotional baggage.
But when you’re carrying too much, it can hold you down from moving steadily. And in extreme cases, life will make you pay for it figuratively and literally. You can really end up living a life of regret. But hey, at least you’ll have your “stuff” to comfort you.
Learn how to pack light, people. Life is so much enjoyable that way.
This is a song that I freqently listen to and it’s perfect for what I’m trying to convey. The song targets young, black women (or just women, in general) who have trouble staying in relationships. Before you yawn and click the X on the right-hand corner of this window, I think the message of the song can be applied broadly to anyone, in any situation. Yes, you too, men. For that reason, I’ve also posted the lyrics. Enjoy!
“Bag Lady” Erykah Badu
Bag lady you gone hurt your back, dragging all them bags like that
I guess nobody ever told you, all you must hold on to
Is you, is you, is you
One day all them bags gone get in your way
One day all them bags gone get in your way
I said one day all them bags gone get in your way
One Day all them bags gone get in your way
So pack light
Ooh ooh
Bag lady you gone miss your bus
You can’t hurry up, cause you got too much stuff
When they see you comin, *ninjas* take off runnin
From you it’s true oh yes they do
One day he gone say you crowdin my space
One day he gone say you crowdin my space
I said, one day he gone say you crowdin my space
One day he gone say you crowdin my space
So pack light
Ooh ooh
Girl I know sometimes it’s hard and we can’t let go
Oh when someone hurts you oh so bad inside
You can’t deny it you can’t stop crying
So oh, oh, oh
If you start breathin, then you won’t believe it
You’ll feel so much better (So much better baby)
Bag lady
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go
Ooh, ooh
Girl you don’t need it
I betcha love can make it better (repeat)
(Oh…)
Betcha love can make it better…
Bag lady, hmm
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go
Girl you don’t need that, hmm
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey girlfriend, don't get rid of all the bags! I really like your message of pack light. There has to be some balance. We all dread the bag lady girlfriend with the nineteen bags, but almost not as much as her antithesis buddy, the Samsonite man (there's your next blog post right there, whip those lyrics out). I know where I live, I have to make a conscious effort to really seek out people who have anchored themselves down to something… anything. Do you have that group friends so afraid of becoming bag ladies that they let disregard valuables with the same nonchalance as all the other stuff?
Looking forward to the next installment. -D
Very funny about Samsonite, Dwight!
You have a good point, going to either extreme is bad. I'd say that more people have a hoarding problem (emotionally and otherwise) than not. I know I did and I'm still a work in progress. I'm still grateful I went throw that period of clinging on to emotions and other negative thought patterns because they really helped mold me into who I am today.
Here's to finding (and keeping) those anchored friends you speak of. It's a rocky road, but well worth it.