Unpacking Life’s Baggage

I know this is bad for me. I just don’t realize it.

Barbara Shermund

When I first heard this quote by New Yorker cartoonist, ¹Barbara Shermund, I immediately understood what she meant about something being a bad idea and plowing ahead regardless of intuition. It struck a chord in me, as it highlighted a common struggle that many of us face in our lives. The tendency to doubt our character can be so overpowering that we often ignore the little voice inside that urges us to reconsider our choices. We don’t always trust ourselves. We second-guess what in our heart we know is right. This internal conflict can lead confusion, leaving us at a crossroads, where we grapple with our fears and desires. Often, looking back, we regret our choices.

The older we are the heavier the baggage we drag around becomes. It is like a storage space we’ve paid the rent on for years. When we unpack it, we realize what is in it is no longer of use. It’s not that difficult to let it all go.

Sadly, this wisdom often only comes with age. By the time we’re ready to put all the angst a side. We’re stooped over from the weight of toting it for all those years. Winston Churchill wrote, “When you are 20 you care what everyone thinks. When you are 40 you stop carrying what everyone thinks. When you are 60 you realize no one was ever thinking about you in the first place .” Often, what we held so tightly for all those years never existed to begin with.

Peace be with you.

1. New York Times , Overlooked No More: Barbara Shermond Flapper Era Cartoonist ↩︎