Americans are a burdened breed.
I say this with much authority after spending many years observing men and women, school girls and boys, even the golden population, go through their daily commuting routines. Backpacks of all shapes, colors and sizes lay on school kids’ backs as they catch bus or train rides or walk to their schools. Senior citizens drag packed carryalls or luggages on wheels. The 8-to-5 population go through their work week carrying brief cases, bags containing office paraphernalia and more bags carrying their after-work sports gear or whatever they feel the need to carry everyday.
Personally, before I stopped working (thanks to a recent corporate layoff) I carried three bags myself. A mini bag for my valuables, a square bag to carry my paperwork, books and puzzles, and a recyclable shopping bag for my traveling essentials like hat, scarf, gloves, umbrella, food and vitamin supplements. After losing one bag inadvertently left behind on the bus, I was encouraged to rethink my bag situation .
I used to share the morning ride with a university student whose back was always chained to a bulky backpack. Besides that monstrous weight on his spine, he carried another big bag that’s likewise bursting at the seams. Most of the time, he preferred to stand throughout the ride, possibly due to the inconvenience of putting down that heavy backpack in order to take a seat. Standing up might have been most convenient for him, but not for fellow passengers who had to work their bodies around him when they had to get off.
Really, America
Consider this: Should you lose one of your bags, would you lose sleep over it? Would it pose a life-altering inconvenience? If you'll take a moment to ponder the significance of carrying multiple bags, you might realize that... really... you can do with much, much less.
Think about it. Chances are, you'll be saving yourself a great deal of discomfort... and a lot of unnecessary excess baggage.
