What to pack

For some years now, I've been privileged to be part of the World Youth Day celebrations in various parts of the world. There are a number of lessons to be learned for participants and organizers alike who particpate in this extravaganza that occurs every three or four years.

During the 2005 WYD, following the closing Mass, I was on my way back to the lodgings to meet up with the rest of the group. My original intentions for this part of the journey were to walk along with another companion, but thanks to the crowd (which numbered approximately 400,000) I was soon separated from him, and found myself alone in a sea of humanity.

I had no choice: I had to continue on the journey, making my way against a flood of people. As I moved from one path to another, I met some pretty interesting people. Languages changed depending on which group I met (thank goodness for national flags which were my indicators of which language they might most easily understand), but none of the groups could tell me whether I was on the right road.

Eventually, this journey became one of prayer as I realized that I would just have to trust that I'd end up in the right place. By the time the journey was complete, the straps attached to the knapsack that was on my back had broken, my feet were blistered and I was parched because my water supply had run dry. It was as though all earthly comforts were slowly being stripped away until I was left with only the journey to contend with.

Since that time, I have learned a valuable lesson about minimizing the baggage that I carry when I travel. There's a physical practicality to that, but there's also a deeper spiritual lesson to be learned: why is it that we often carry around so much emotional and spiritual baggage in life? Walking this journey would be a whole lot easier if we could jetison all the burdens that we cling to.

Perhaps it's time to recognize the stuff that we can let go of, and give thanks for those who call us to leave the past behind, heading instead for new horizons, new adventures, and new possibilities.

Oh, and pack lightly while we're at it.