Traveling Light: A Journey of Intentional Living
After so much travel through the years, I've become a pro-packer despite varying climates and time zones. I've also become a packing minimalist with a capital M. I can pack a load of black clothes by rolling each garment then stacking the rolls like chopsticks. I can puzzle together necessary hygiene products with luxury beauty creams in one small cosmetic bag without much fuss. I've even mastered the art of accessorizing—necklaces, earrings, scarves and belts—so one black turtleneck transforms into ten different looks. And by default, every time I start packing for long trips with limited items, I think deeply about the things we carry in life. Why is editing out unnecessary people, places and things so trying, difficult and sometimes painful? Why does saying "no" seem like bad manners? And why can the weight of people's asks and expectations feel so overwhelming and disorienting? Why is it so tricky to travel light?
Stillness in Motion: Finding Peace on the Rails
A train journey is an open opportunity to see the world from a different window in a new way. Some of my favorite and most memorable travel experiences have been clunking along the Hudson (River) Line or gliding across a Euro rail, catching glimpses of countrysides while moving towards metropolitan destinations in the US and abroad, respectively. For example, I think fondly of boarding at Grand Central Station (New York, New York) among the hustle and bustle of daily commuters or curious, international travelers, then riding “up” the Hudson River on crisp fall days towards Boston or bright summer days on the way to the Saratoga horse races— all with space to dream, time to read and quiet to think about — and through — a lot of matters on the head and heart.