I’m going through this phase, partly inspired by my upcoming roadtrip and partly inspired by the testimony of simplicity in the Quaker tradition. It is my get-rid-of-everything phase. The bottom line is, anything I would like to bring across the country with me either needs to fit in my teeny tiny Hyundai, or I need to pay to have a shipped.

I’m not a fan of the latter option. And while I don’t own much, I do own more than I have space for.

Bed: selling. Bed frame: keeping. Clothes: mostly keeping. Books: certainly keeping.

You may notice a problem.

Other considerations:

• Get a map?
• How about a car jack and jumper cables?
• Food for along the way
• Striking a balance between taking a meandering route and still being realistic about how long I want to extend this trip.
• Finding contra dances to call at, and communities to teach singing workshops in.
• Hurricane season – worth bothering with?

As I simplify, simplify, simplify, I look forward to those first few solitary hours of open road, heading east on I-40 through the Sandias, past Tucumcari, past Amarillo. I can’t decide if I will laugh or cry. Probably both.