Nothing

Heading to the security exit at the airport, I’m in unusually high spirits. I have a spring in my step and a smile on my face. Why not?! I’m just about to embrace the one I love after another successful trip to the nation’s capital for work. The other reason I’m so light-hearted? I have nothing to drag me down. I’m carrying nothing but a few essentials. 

I checked my suitcase. Everything else I needed for the flight home was in my pockets. My boarding pass (I still only trust paper for these) was in my shirt pocket. Some cash remained in the left pants pocket; the right my slim wallet with only my ID and a debit and credit card. My smartphone, on which I typed this post with my thumbs, lives in my back pocket.

That’s it. Nothing else.

No briefcase, no backpack. No laptop or tablet. No noise-canceling headphones, not even earbuds. Nothing in my hands, nothing to weigh me down. 

I breezed through security before the flight, having only to place these few things in one of the bowls to pass through the metal detector. In the airport lounge, I was free to roam, grabbing a cup of coffee and some avocado toast without worrying about stepping away from my “stuff.”

Once on the airplane, I sat down immediately with nothing in the overhead, nothing at my feet. Unlike most, I’m not compelled to work on a 4-1/2 hour flight, nor watch a movie or TV show. I don’t need music to keep me occupied. I’d rather look out the window at the world below, take naps, think and ponder, and write using this handy device when the mood strikes. 

I’ve long been a less is more kind of guy. I enjoy the freedom that comes with having to carry less, but have often been reluctant to put the laptop and work phone in my checked bag. But this time out, I was willing to take the risk and so far, I’m loving the result. 

There’s a whole world out there just waiting to be explored. Let nothing get in your way.

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