It’s the naked truth – today is day #2 of Simplicity Week
The Naked Traveller Nightmare
Have you ever had a travel nightmare where you are standing at a baggage claim naked waiting for your suitcase to arrive but it never does? It’s a variation on a school nightmare or speaking in public nightmare. I haven’t, but I have had waiter nightmares where I was waiting on people naked, and that was pretty embarrassing and fear inducing.
The Overdressed Traveller Nightmare
Why don’t we ever have overdressed nightmares? Can you imagine a person dreaming of being at a baggage claim with too much clothes on and too many bags? I can imagine it, but I can’t imagine them being filled with embarrassment or fear because of it. More likely they would be frustrated, tired and stressed rather than fearful or embarrassed.
Follow Through
Let’s imagine what would happen if these two people really did show up at the baggage claim like this. One naked with a small carry-on and no luggage, the other overdressed with too many bags. What would actually happen to them? The naked person would be in danger of cold, sunburn, cuts, scrapes, bruises, exposure to the elements, not to mention possible arrest, ridicule and/or unwanted sexual attention. He or she would be limited in where they could go, what they could do, and how they would move forward in life.
The overdressed person with too many bags would be in danger of also not being able to get where he or she is going, or having to pay a lot of money for others to help them get there. They would have to figure out what is appropriate to wear, where to store all the suitcases and the stuff in them. Choose what to change into depending on what event or activity they were going to. And of course cleaning all the clothes. They would worry about the clothes getting old, torn, wrinkled, out of fashion. They could worry about stuff being stolen or ruined. A lot to worry about.
Baggage of Life
Now, let’s abstract this idea out, using it as a metaphor for our emotional, psychological and historical baggage. We come in the world naked, it’s true. But we survive by putting on clothes. We survive emotionally and psychologically by putting on emotional and psychological clothes via life lessons. The question is how much do you continue to carry with you and how much do you leave aside as you go. One key to success is to practice giving up that which emotionally and psychologically weighs you down. The overdressed, overpacked traveler has not learned this lesson. Another key is to hold on to that which emotionally and psychologically is essential to your survival and protection within your world. The naked traveler with no luggage has not learned this lesson.
The path to a successful and happy adulthood is found in being a traveler between the two extremes.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman
Quote by Charles Warner, 1829-1900, American essayist. He is the actual author of the famous quote, “Everyone talks about the weather, but know one does anything about it.” It is commonly misattributed to Mark Twain, who was a friend of Warner’s and used this quote in a lecture.
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