Rising
each morning,
we choose what to pack—
sometimes consciously,
more often not.

“Take nothing for the journey,”
says the sage.

And yet,
we load suitcase after suitcase
with past lives,
past relationships,
past emotions,
past experiences,
past resentments,
past regrets…

Missed opportunities here,
shattered dreams there,
unrealistic expectations
of ourselves and others
crammed in like socks and underwear.

Heavier and heavier
our self-imposed baggage grows…

So full of yesterday,
we leave little room
for today,

in effect,
depriving ourselves—
or failing to fully appreciate—
what’s before us
in the present:

the sight of a hummingbird,
the sound of a cricket,
the smell of a rose,
the potential connection with a stranger,
the precious vulnerability of a loved one…

Our waking moments
would be better spent
un-packing…

Then, perhaps,
we’d have more room
for the day’s souvenirs…

And maybe we’d realize
that all we can hold on to
is the love
we’ve given away…