Why You're The Pilot Of Your Life, Not The Luggage
Are you ready to fly?
BABAROGA / Shutterstock By Isabelle Zanzer
“You are not a piece of luggage,” whispers a kind voice on the other side of the phone and the world. Little does this valuable character in my life know how much that meant to me.
Because whether we like it or not, we are all pieces of luggage, nomads lost in our own little worlds, fleeing from place to place hoping for the grass to be greener on the other side.
We are the pieces of luggage tucked away in the cabin, patiently waiting for someone else to take us and lead the way.
Patiently waiting to be dragged in any direction, and ending up hoping for the best.
Our luggage is filled with memories, adventures, regrets, mistakes, and belongings personal to us and our close ones.
Yet it is also filled with belongings and attachments that aren’t ours, squeezed in even if our luggage is full.
We convince ourselves there is always room for more. There is always space, we think to ourselves, until reality hits and our luggage breaks down.
Inevitably, it can no longer carry the weight of any belongings, personal or foreign.
So, my dearest readers, I hope the metaphor for life isn’t lost upon you.
I am writing these words sitting next to a window seat on yet another flight to another destination. Believe me when I say the irony of my words isn’t lost upon me.
But the fact of the matter still remains: I, like so many others, am a piece of luggage.
One that has already broken down quite a few times, not to mention one that is already worn out. And while I have always believed history is incapable of repeating itself, my luggage keeps wearing down.
It keeps getting dragged in different directions by different carriers and filled with belongings that are not mine.
Thus, what are we going to do about it?
Will we become the carrier of our own luggage? Heck no.
I say, dream big or do not dream at all. I say we give ourselves an upgrade, move forward to the pilot seat, and fly to our chosen destination.
Either way, with you as the pilot, you make the decisions. You choose the place, the time, the passengers on the flight, and the stops along the way.
And, most importantly, you are the one taking control.
You are the pilot, the protagonist of your journey, choosing the weight you are willing to carry on board.
The aircraft is yours to manage, to clean thoroughly of any unnecessary items or people. And when cabin pressure becomes too high to handle, you breathe and take control yet again or make a stop along the way to ensure your safety.
So, my pilots, are you ready to fly?
Isabelle Zanzer is a writer, storyteller, and LLM Graduate of Sorbonne-Assas International Law School, whose work has appeared in Huffington Post and Elite Daily. She's currently a writer and editor for Mogul, MillionairesView, and Thought Catalog.