There is a kind of comfort that comes over me as I sort through my pack, item by item. For three weeks, this will be all that I have and all that will sustain me in the world of walking. I’ve grown an affinity for all the pockets and spaces that make up my pack. I have become familiar with the sizes and shapes of my gear and clothing, knowing what best fits where. I sort and resort the various items into categories: bathing, cleaning, creating, clothing, nourishment…
Walking, walking… step by step my feet support me as my legs carry me forward; my heart trusting what is to come with the next step. I am grounded in faith, alive in wonder, ready to explore tomorrow - and the next day.
Perhaps you have moments like this too - where you ponder how what you carry (whether physically or emotionally) doesn’t define you, but does reveal something about your journey. Like me sorting through my pack, we can all decide , always, what serves the life we desire to live and what can be released if it weighs us down.
I recall one night of my travels when I found myself lying awake. Sleep eluded me. "What am I to do with this hour?" Words and ideas slipped into my thoughts. "Should I let them escape, or should I capture them, even as the threat of insomnia wants to creep in?" I wondered. “I’ll be fine,” I convinced myself.
So much wisdom passes through my thoughts in 'the wee hours', only to vanish when I fully wake and move through the day. It is in the quiet and stillness where my soul speaks to me. This night, I was awake and listening.
Just as my feet find their way, step by step, in daylight, my thoughts at night navigate the darkness, seeking their own path. In such moments, when we take time to pause and really listen, there is an opportunity to discover that our greatest wisdom does not come from what we have, but from our ability to be grounded in each moment. We all have the ability to choose how we respond in life, rather than just reacting impulsively.
"But wait, where is my pen? My new notebook? " I ask myself, as I choose to stay awake with my thoughts. They’re packed away, and my roommate is lightly sleeping. I don’t want to risk disturbing her. Ever so quietly, I slip into the bathroom with my phone and allow the words moving through me to tap-tap-tap out through the miniature keypad. These words are my 'things' in this moment. I want to savour and share them.
I have come to realize that by carrying my things lightly, whatever they may be, I bring ease to each of my days. I know I can face tomorrow without my pack, for instance. There is always a way, and always, Life is there to guide me. I just have to listen and trust.
Just like with the wisdom that moves through me at night - I don’t need to capture it, even though I may sometimes choose to. Instead, I can trust that it changes me daily, ever so slowly, bit by bit. And it is good.
I am never alone. I trust my choices. I am where I am meant to be, choosing my direction in each moment. I am a part of the whole tapestry of life, and my part is as valuable as any other part.
I don’t need any 'things'. They don’t shape me. I just like them. This is the wisdom of my things.
Just as I have discovered through my travels that my pack could be lighter, perhaps there is something the heart wants to surrender - to simplify. Whatever that is may have once seemed essential, but perhaps it no longer serves my goals and aspirations.
What if those areas of your life that feel less than amazing are actually opportunities to trust your own deep inner voice, your voice of wisdom; the voice of your soul? When we trust our inner wisdom, even those parts of life that feel heavy can become doorways to something lighter, truer and more essential. Our souls know the way - we only need to listen.