Common advice about packing is that we tend to take too much stuff.
In Mary Roach’s book, Packing For Mars, she explores the ways different countries prepare their astronauts. She focuses on the mental preparation. Riding a rocket ship for days or weeks makes sitting in the “way back” of the family station wagon seem luxurious.
Packing when I was an airline pilot was simple. The only variation was whether or not I took a sweater and a hat. It was simple because the days were routine. Every day was almost the same: fly, eat, sleep. No surprises.
That may be the key point about packing – what activities are expected? That, plus the weather forecast.
We take more than what we put in our suitcase. While we don’t need the mental preparation required of astronauts, it does help to have a clear head. And maybe that’s the real packing challenge. How to free ourselves of unnecessary mental baggage.
It’s an easy metaphor to extend. That’s because “travel” isn’t just a change of place. It’s new experience. Recruits to marine boot camp are advised to bring almost nothing – to pack only what fits in their pockets. Maybe only young adults are recruited is because they’re less likely to have much baggage in their heads.
Beginning a new life with you is as close to going to Mars as I’ll ever get. And while I’ll plan to travel light, I’m sure I’ll bring too much stuff. My dad had an interesting approach about this – if he needed more space in his suitcase he’d simply leave clothes behind in a hotel. He said he could always buy more underwear when he got home. I’m prepared to throw away what’s unnecessary.
I do have a few expectations about our new life together. A key expectation is that I may have the wrong expectations. That’s almost as good as having none. I’ll try to keep them to what fits in my “pockets.”
It’s easy to limit what we put in our luggage. It’s harder to limit what we keep in our head.
Someday we may pack with just one bag.