Extra Baggage

I was at the airport this weekend.  I know it may sound strange but I love being at the airport when I am not hurried and can take my time to observe.  It's fascinating for me to think about why all of these people are traveling.  It is obvious that some people are traveling for business.  It is fairly safe to assume that, by their appearance, some are headed for vacation and some "down time" at the beach.  But others are not so easy to figure out.  Are they traveling to go visit a loved one, going to a wedding or a funeral?  Are they possibly looking to move to a new city or state and why?

Although I enjoy people watching, there is also the downside of the inevitable person who refuses to check any luggage in and instead tries to put half of every material thing they own in the overhead bins.  They struggle and push and twist luggage around to make it fit where it won't.  Oftentimes they involve other people to get some help and their luggage ends up in two opposite ends of the plane.  And then when getting off the plane, they are the people that hold the entire line from getting off the plane until everyone helps them get their luggage from the back of the plane to the front.

I get it.  No one really wants to check their bags in.  But, if you have too much luggage, it makes it so much easier and smoother to get through the airport and onto the plane if you just check it in.

And I think it is that way with emotional baggage that we all have.  And it is just that way with life in general.  We often struggle with the baggage that wears us down and hinders our progress.  We refuse to let go of it.  We wrestle with it and try to take it along with us everywhere we go. Even when it is logical to let go of the baggage, we don't.  For some reason, we hang on to this emotional baggage and don't let it go.  Pride, hurt, stubbornness, and guilt all play a role at some point I am sure.

So the person that carries emotional baggage through life is not so much different from the person who refuses to check any bags at the airport.  I have emotional baggage and I need to check it in instead of dragging it around with me.  I need to stop letting it weigh me down at times and I need to stop letting it hinder my progress at other times.

So instead of all this useless baggage, let's all start dropping it off at curbside!!