… all  38 (!) sweaters  (how on earth did I manage to accumulate so many???) for the tropics?  5 winter coats? Boots? Wool business suits? 

Decisions, decisions.  Every move begs for purging, for simplifying  – though not  oversiplifying, as it  can have an opposing effect.

Although I think that I can safely give away  ( to Dress for Success and to a local women’s shelter) most of my cold climate winter clothing, and stash some of the remainder  in Atlanta –  as I am most likely to fly to most west USA destinations through Atlanta – I need to take at least  a few sweaters, business suits, a coat and boots to the tropics, because I’ll have to make business trips to Europe and New York, and there I am most likely to fly directly from Puerto Rico.

When moving  I desperately try to be reasonable and  travel light, especially when I am not sure for how long I am moving ( this time I have committed to six months with possibly unlimited extensions) and the move is – literally – over-SEAS, thus precluding stuffing everything in a moving van and driving it across America.

However, lightness can have its dangers. I remember vividly groups of American students descending  on Monteverde, Costa Rica in sandals, shorts and tshirts… and freezing their tootsies… and not only tootsies… off in the middle of a tropical summer… on top of the continental divide!

I also learned the hard way that trying to simplify your life can cause your family and friends some unnnecessary worry.

About a decade  ago I decided on a “gypsy” life .  I spent a few years in Europe after Erik, my spouse, died of a brain tumor, barely 42 years old. I left our house in Austin, Texas to my daughter and her spouse to live in, while they were studying at UT Austin.  But after graduation they decided to move to Colorado, so I came back to Austin, got rid of the house and most of the other stuff and some time later arrived in Colorado bearing family silver, fine Meissen china, crystals etc. etc. and gave it all to Daughter.

I noticed that  – with each unpacked box of goods – my Son-in-law seemed to become increasingly worried, which surpised me, so  finally I went to Daughter, which was busy cooking, to find out if he had anything against those gifts, because he, himself did not want to share with me the reason of his worry. Daughter called him to ask him and returned laughing. “Mom” she laughed ” tell him why are you doing this, because he is afraid that you are sick and  preparing to die”. 

Now it was my turn to laugh. “No, son” I said, “don’t you worry, I am not preparing to die, I am preparing to LIVE, unencumbered, unburdened from possessions. I am preparing to be movable. Have brains, laptop, adventurous spirit – will travel! “   

…So how, ten years and more than ten moves and ten ”simplifications” later I somehow became a proud (?) owner of such an abundance of  sweaters???