I recently joined an online dating service after the demise of a 27 year marriage. Brave? Perhaps. Bold? Perhaps. Risky….Perhaps. But it does show that I am a modern woman who is willing to reach outside of my comfort zone in order to bring someone new and different into my life. Before I went a packin‘ I opened my luggage and did my best to clean it out. Removing old flight tags of past vacations, I paused and allowed myself to travel down memory lane and revisit those adventures. Broken zippers, dents and lost keys reminded me that those trips were not always easy but nonetheless they found their way out of the lost luggage department and were not forgotten. But most of the baggage just needed some TLC.

While scanning the profiles of many “eligibles” on the site, I was amused by how many were looking for a mate without baggage. Are you kidding me? To me that translates to “I am looking for an empty package that I can wheel around behind me.” I’m sure there were a few of those to be had but what would they have shared when they reached their destination?

I am happy to say that I come with plenty of baggage. Layers and layers of memories and experiences that I would never deny in order to seem uncomplicated to the next potential suitor. I can only hope that my future travels will carry with them baggage that is neatly packed and somewhat organized. I will bring along an extra empty bag or two so I can allow room for new experiences I will acquire along the way. My most important bag will contain the hundreds of pairs of shoes I have walked in as I look forward to wiggling my toes in the sand.