We had four days from when we realized we were going to Korea to when we left. Four days to do everything. Tie up loose ends at work, grocery shop/meal prep for the kids (even though my family generously took our kiddos out for dinner most days.) Purchase the basic necessities for an international trip. Pack extra warm clothing since January is the coldest month of the year in South Korea, with temperatures in Seoul sometimes dropping below -10°C (14°F) and occasionally falling below -15°C (5°F). We had initially planned only to take a carry-on suitcase since we wouldn't be there for very long, but after discussing it with our friends who were meeting us there and are frequent flyers, we decided to do both a carry-on and a check-in bag.
We folded, rolled, and repacked several times before settling with our four suitcases. We guesstimated what we needed as well as what the dress code would be for the conference. We were uncertain if we had to be "dressed up" with skirts and suit jackets, so we brought it all just in case. We organized our carry-on with a couple of outfits and toiletries in the event our other bags were lost. We even put an Apple Airtag in one of the bigger bags to keep track of its whereabouts. There were weight restrictions to consider, too, so my husband wore some extra layers during our travels to be safe. We packed efficiently and organized our space well enough to know what was in each suitcase and where.
Our return flight was a different story. We could have been more meticulous with our packing strategy. We didn't roll up our clothes to avoid wrinkles or fold everything to fit nicely in the packing cubes. Instead of using hangers for the dressier garments, we shoved them in packing cubes to keep the worn outfits away from the clean ones. The thicker sweaters were used as bubble wrap for our fragile gifts. We didn't separate his and her personal items. We basically threw everything in any suitcase that had the space and used force to zip them closed. Our only conscious effort was to balance the weight to keep from paying the baggage overweight fee. If TSA had opened our bags, the clothes would probably have flown out everywhere, like the Jack in the Box toy. I'm embarrassed to say it was a hot mess.
The two styles were vastly different, but they did the job. Everything fit, but no one could tell what was inside and what method we used. Who knows if others used the same packing strategy as we did, but we were all good just as long as the bags passed inspection and were stored on the plane.
When we arrived at our final destination and went to the baggage claim area to collect our suitcases, I observed all the luggage on the conveyor belt and the people grabbing them. From the outside, all of our suitcases looked similar. However, it was what was on the inside that made them different. At one point, I even picked up one exactly like mine, the same brand, size, color, and scruff marks in the exact same spot, but it belonged to another traveler. Thankfully, the owner came over and alerted me of my mistake.
Like luggage, we may look the same on the outside, but the inside is what differentiates us, our life experiences, our successes and failures. The joy and sorrow we navigate through or avoid. The pain and suffering that build us up or tear us down. We have all encountered them in our lifetime; some can organize them with a healthy perspective. And then some people avoid it, suppressing the emotions, cramming all of it into one space, and hoping nothing spills out in the open for all to see.
I write this post with concern because many of us hold onto our burdens ourselves, stuff them down deeply, and forget we don't have to carry them alone. While we ministered in Korea, someone shared her testimony that she had not shared with many people. She held a high-level government position when she lived in North Korea. Now, she also leads many ministries in South Korea. Both positions carry influence and authority, and many people hold her in high regard. But because of her past and position, she does not share her heartaches with anyone and carries them alone. When we prayed for her, we could sense God unzipping her baggage and releasing the sorrows that she was holding onto for so many years.
I can guarantee that at some point when you were on a flight, you noticed someone needing help with their luggage. To either lift it up or take it down. Either the trained flight attendant, a stranger, or your flying companion were there to assist. Similarly, that's how we should handle our life's baggage too. Go to a trained professional therapist. Seek a trusted stranger's help, someone in ministry who provides counseling/prayer. (I know a phenomenal couple who has provided this service for years and many people who have received breakthroughs, so if you want their information, let me know.) Or share with your closest companion to help you.
We must break the silence and accept help. No matter how high up on the totem pole you are, and regardless of the baggage you hold on to, it's time to let go and be set free. It's okay to ask for help. We don't have to have it all figured out.
"Instead of your shame
you will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace
you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inherit a double portion in your land,
and everlasting joy will be yours." ~Isaiah 61:7 (NIV)
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