#3 Luggage

My story: As an avid lover of travel, I have acquired so many suitcases and travel bags over the years, it’s ridiculous. I have one for nearly every size adventure that I could ever dream of going on!

When I see them, the set that my parents gave me for my high school graduation present still make me smile. What a great gift they gave me as they sent me out into the big world. Here it is when it was new, when I could fit all of my belongings in that bag.

An hour after this was taken I was on a Trailways bus, departing to my new life in Colorado. Note that this was before they invented suitcases with wheels! How things have changed since I was 17!

One of my favorites (that I do not use) was given to me by my grandfather. I love the vintage style, and have often thought about repurposing it into an art installation or a piece of furniture.  It reminds me of him, and the adventurous spirit that I inherited from him. 

The truth: Even though I have so many sizes to choose from, I always use the same one when I travel, no matter how long the journey is going to take. I have learned to travel lighter when I take trips. It makes getting around so much easier!  It’s my goal to travel lighter in the rest of my life, too. Most of these are just gathering dust in my basement. Crap, my luggage has turned into baggage!

I have to be honest and say, if I haven’t made my art installation or furniture after having Hud’s suitcase for over 20 years, it probably isn’t going to happen.

My action: I gathered all my suitcases that I don't use and donated them to take to a thrift store that raises money for people with developmental disabilities. Some of them were in such poor condition they went to the trash. Nobody is going to buy a suitcase that is held together with duct tape, ha! Almost all of them still had remnants of the last trip that we took together, which I have either thrown out or added to scrapbooks. These  possessions are not needed to remind me of the profound gratitude I have of those adventures.