Stuff

Last night I slept between boxes in my daughter's guest room. Her husband Adam just graduated from law school at the University of Memphis, and I'm here for the festivities as well as to help them move back to Nashville. I am proud that Betsy has almost everything packed into boxes--labeled and stacked--ready for us men-folk to carry out to the U Haul trailer.

Moving gives us a great opportunity to think about our stuff. Usually our stuff falls into three categories: 1) used everyday, 2) cherished and saved, 3) throw it away. Some of us have a hard time sifting trash from treasure. The resultant dilemma has made many Americans pack rats. Because we are not forced to live in shoe boxes like the Europeans, we can cram our homes and lives full of junk.

When traveling, I try to carry as little with me as possible. In fact, I challenge myself to get everything I need into a carry-on and a back pack. Things get a little more complicated when I carry my guitar. I just love it when I can get off the plane, walk right past the baggage claim (see ya suckers!) and right into the shuttle or rental car. I always keep a separate set of toiletries from the ones at home so when its time to hit the road, I'm not wondering if I have toothpaste or deodorant when I get to the hotel.

I like to travel light. Like my email, I purge the junk daily. And as for Brenda and me, its probably time to rent a U Haul and purge the stuff that's not "used everyday" or "cherished and saved" out of the house before summer. Brenda always says, "Only have things that you cherish, and cherish the things that you have."

Even though we love our stuff, and move it everywhere we go, the most important cargo are the people and the memories that fill our lives. That "stuff" is eternal.