In front of you is one of the suitcases I got as a graduation present from high school. This was the suitcase that I loaded up a bunch of clothes (the rest being boxed and mailed to my sister who lived in Utah and brought them to me at my dorm) and drove to Utah to attend Brigham Young University as a college freshman. This same suitcase traveled many miles between Boulder, CO and Provo, UT during my time at BYU. I also took this suitcase on a study abroad to Israel and carted this huge suitcase through Egypt and Jordan. (I even dragged it with me on a train between Cairo and Luxor because I didn't trust the hotel that offered to store our suitcases for a few days. Guess what? Most people in our group got stuff stolen from their suitcases while their stuff was "in storage", so I was grateful I kept it with me.) It then traveled with me to Argentina, and home again when I got sick and finished my mission on Temple Square. Yes, you guessed it, it came with me there too. I got married and packed for my honeymoon in this suitcase. It has traveled to various places with me since I got married--California, Las Vegas, Nevada, Chicago, IL, St. Louis, MO, Ohio, Wyoming, etc. I have taken it camping, on airplanes, in cars, trains and shuttles. It's most recent use was a trip to Wisconsin over Thanksgiving to visit Dentist husband's brother. After that trip, Dentist husband said "Enough! This suitcase is too big. It doesn't work with a mother with four young kids and their luggage. It is time to move on." I will be honest, I got a little teary. This my suitcase. It has literally been my traveling companion for years. And, look at it! It still looks great and kept its functionality. All of the zippers still work for heaven's sake.
But then reality set in. Next month, we are off to North Carolina to the Outerbanks. That means six of us traveling with various layovers, hotel stops, etc. We plan on flying to a few more places in the coming year and it would be good for each child to have their own suitcase to pull behind them in airports, hotels, etc.
So, now you see our new "kid" suitcases. They are small, colorful (easy to spot) and have easy pull wheels. JCPenny's was having a great luggage sale and so I got these for a song.
Will I ever get rid of the above mentioned suitcase. As of right now, no. Maybe later. Time has a way of slowly easing my sentimentality and at some point, I might look back on this moment as silly but for today, it will go back in my storage room and hold all of the memories that I cherish with it. So, it is not "bon voyage" but "until next time".
5 comments:
Hey, I remember that suitcase. Good times.
Suitcases have been on my mind lately too. In fact, my new one just arrived yesterday. And like you, I photographed my little one with said luggage. Great minds think alike!
Happy Travels!
I absolutely think you should keep it! But I am sentimental like that.
I completely THRASHED the luggage I took to Germany. I didn't realize I would be pulling it down the street 3 or 4 blocks to get to the bus for each transfer. I really should have had luggage with BIG wheels. And then there's the story about how my suitcase nearly caught on fire and burned down the mission president's house.
So, I'm impressed that your suitcase could possibly last that long. You deserve new luggage.
I hear ya with the sentimentality of an object. That suitcase has been everywhere with you. Cheers to new suitcases, but I am all for still keeping the old one. Maybe some of your toothsomes can use them when they go to college!
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