Your Backpack
When I was a kid, one of my favorite days of the year was not the first day of school.
Instead, it was the day my mom took us back-to-school shopping. I loved everything about it: Walking the aisles, looking for the perfect backpack. Choosing fresh pens and a box of No. 2 pencils I knew I’d sharpen when I got home. And, of course, my Trapper Keeper. My favorite had two gray kittens on the cover. I thought it was the cutest thing I'd ever owned.
And all those supplies fit perfectly into my backpack.
Every September, my backpack felt like it was filled with possibility.
Think back to when you were a child. Back then, we packed our backpacks intentionally. Everything inside had a purpose.
Somewhere along the way, though, that changed…
As adults, life has a way of filling our “backpacks” for us, without asking. It throws in an old hurt we never quite let go of. A habit that no longer serves us. A calendar that's become too full. A relationship that drains us more than it fills us up.
Before we know it, we're carrying things in our backpacks that we never meant to pack.
As I was thinking about this, I remembered something that had happened to my sister when she was getting ready for a vacation not too long ago.
She was packing for her trip and needed her travel backpack. But she realized she hadn't used it in months. She quickly found it hanging in the closet where she had left it after her last trip, last season.
She pulled it off the hook, but the moment she unzipped it, she knew something wasn't right.
An unmistakable, putrid smell escaped from it.
After a little investigating, she found the culprit tucked inside an interior pocket: a forgotten string cheese, still in its plastic packaging. Unfortunately, the cheese stick had completely disintegrated into something closer to murky gray liquid. And the smell was horrific.
Needless to say, she tossed the “cheese” straight into the trash.
But that wasn't the end of it. The smell had seeped into the backpack itself.
She couldn't simply throw away the cheese stick and move on. Nope. She had to put the entire backpack through the washing machine, then hang it outside for a day in the sunshine to finally rid it of the smell.
As I recalled her story, I thought, what a metaphor for life this is! Sometimes we need to empty the obvious things we've been carrying in our proverbial backpacks that stink: Like old resentment. Lingering guilt. Or a belief that we're too old, too busy, or too late to begin something new.
Maybe the way you've been carrying your life isn't working anymore. Maybe the pace you've been keeping is unsustainable. Maybe you've outgrown the definition of success you've been chasing. Maybe it's time to replace a constant feeling of urgency with a little more space. Or the habit of saying "yes" with the courage to occasionally say "no."
I think we can all agree that life has a way of filling our backpacks automatically. But you can change this.
September gives us a beautiful invitation, not just to fill our proverbial “backpacks” with new things, but first to clean out what no longer belongs there. Then, with intention, we can choose what deserves the space we've created.
Maybe this fall you'll pack more curiosity, more gratitude, or some extra “me” time into your backpack.
Whatever you choose, remember that the goal isn't to carry as much as we can.
The goal is to carry what matters most, right now.
Let this be the September when your backpack gets filled with possibility again.
This Week’s Cool Ideas & Resources
Carry Something You'll Love
Instead of buying another random backpack from the sale rack this season, consider investing in a high-quality one you'll enjoy using for the long term. Read this article from NYT about the best backpacks available this season. It is a small reminder that the things you carry deserve intention, too.
Feeling Nostalgic About Trapper Keepers?
Guess what? They still exist. The original Mead Trapper Keeper is back, complete with the Velcro closure and bright colors. If nothing else, it'll make you smile every time you hear that familiar rip.
Enroll in One New Subject
School reminded us that learning is exciting. This fall, choose one thing to study—not because it will advance your career, but because it will enrich your life. Don’t know where to begin? How about an AI & Innovation class taught for free right here at Skillshare!
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