Friday, June 24, 2011

Suitcase

There was no point in worrying yet.... what would come, would come... and he would have to meet it when it did.  ~J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire


There is something intensely mysterious about a suitcase...


...or a carpet bag...


...or even a purse. 


Because, if you think about it long enough, you will realize that lying within each of these leather and cloth containers are a collection of seemingly innocent objects that add up to compile a picture of our hearts.  


Your clothes, folded neatly and pressed to a fault in the manner of a detail-oriented perfectionist...or tossed helter-skelter in a rumpled and artistic manner, speaking of a free spirit. 


Your shoes...are they sensible sneakers for hurrying from place to place...or perhaps they're a pair of beautiful open-toed high heels, perfect for country lanes strolls...or just maybe, you left your shoes behind altogether, leaving your feet free to wander gypsy-like across grassy knolls or wide-open fields. 


Your jewelry -- artistic or practical, delicate or bold, flashy or subtle...what does this say about your style, about your personal flair. 


Are there books tossed admit the fabric? What wistful fairytales and poetic tomes are contained within the piles of jeans and cotton dresses?


Do you travel with a photo or two, captured memories of those you love...those whom you leave behind, and yet, who keep your heart close to them regardless of whither you wander in the world? 


Is there a pen and paper, a journal perhaps? A camera or soft charcoal to capture sights yet unseen?

Are there bottles of the purest water, or small boxes of aromatic teas and freshly-ground coffee to tantalize your tastebuds? 


Which do you prefer: a faint smearing of opaque gloss to give just the faintest shine to your already beautiful lips, or a richly coloured stick to bring your sweetness to a new height? 


Whatever you pack...whatever your luggage says about your soul...the truth remains universally the same. 


The journey may be long or short, easy or difficult, uplifting or heartbreaking.


But in the end, it is a journey, regardless what happens along the way.


And eventually, you will arrive at your destination...


...bags in tow, your personality tucked in your back pocket. 


So pick up your suitcase


and meet the gypsy road.

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say. ~J.R.R. Tolkien 



4 comments:

  1. I. Love. This.
    I've often reflected on the mysterious insides of suitcases, as well as the whimsical things the cases can be themselves. I love deciphering what a person is like by the luggage they carry.
    I especially like train cases (like this one: http://www.etsy.com/listing/67389235/upcycled-dark-robin-egg-blue-vintage?ref=sr_list_8&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=vintage+blue+train+case&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade)
    I've always loved suitcases, because they always remind me of travel. And if there's one thing I hold dear and near in my heart, it's travel. :)

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  2. Travel is one of the greatest experiences, each time it leads to something different, something unexpected. And yes, there's always a journal or two and a spare pen in my suitcase, to document and to capture passing thoughts, saving them to take home, so I can remember how it felt to be alive in that moment.

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  3. Wow, that is such a different way of looking at it. I'm the type of girl who prides myself on being able to pack light but I always have to have my camera with me and a journal. But in general I kind of don't like to travel unless I can take my friends with me :)

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  4. love love love love!!!

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I look at you and see all the ways a soul can bruise, and I wish I could sink my hands into your flesh and light lanterns along your spine so you know there's nothing but light when I see you. :: Shinji Moon