Sabbatical Reflection #1 : Stow

The now familiar pre-flight narrative is ringing in my ears…”and please stow all carry-on luggage either in the overhead bin or underneath the seat in front of you..” The normal usage of the English “stow” means to secure, confine, or arrange, but there is another slang meaning of stow, which means to stop. We are forewarned that the luggage in the overhead bins has a tendency to shift during flight while the personal carry-on underneath the seat in front of us need not. Isn’t there a sermon somewhere in there?! So much of my life has shifted literally over my head during the turbulence of these past several years. The more I’ve tried to secure and arrange it, the less successful I’ve been! So as that part of my life bangs around rather noisily, this sabbatical journey is already focusing me on carry-on personal items, the very few and very precious items I need to enjoy everyday life. And all the rest can simply, mercifully, just stop! Every journey reminds of us of what we need, and what we may once have needed but no longer require. I cannot wait to lighten my lifetime carry-on items and compact my life these next few months. And you?