Battered Suitcases

I now know what it feels like to be a mom who is reunited with her children after they’ve been “lost” in the supermarket for a short bit. Well... two out of three of them, at least.

Y’ALL, I HAVE TWO SUITCASES OF MY CHERISHED STUFF.

Considering the fact that I’ve been living on a few key items my pitiful self has accumulated, this is a huge victory, even if there’s still one suitcase missing. I’m pretty sure my name has been red flagged for all future travel on US Airways or South African Airways (a special thanks to all of you who have hounded each airline since the day I left), but I just might be the happiest girl in Cape Town today.

I couldn't help but notice the irony of the baggage tags, which were plastered with seemingly urgent commands. I've been here for a week, so I'm confident in saying the airlines have a different definition of "rush" than I do. After all, these poor things have been to Nashville, Chicago, Philadelphia, London, Johannesburg, Cape Town... and who knows where else. Regardless, I got to wake up this morning and think What should I wear today? for the first time since I've left Bowling Green.

My first week in Cape Town has certainly been a lesson in simplicity. A few days without a cell phone induced quite a few withdrawal symptoms (as anyone who knows me can imagine), and a week without free-flowing internet has forced me to be in the moment. Retrospectively, these things are probably gifts, as I've really had to immerse myself in my new surroundings. As for the suitcases, I'm almost embarrassed to admit how unsettling their unknown whereabouts were, but I already feel leaps and bounds more comfortable with a few familiar things by my side. 

"Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." - Jack Kerouac (On The Road)