Packing Cubes
In early April I went to California to visit a friend that I met in France. Probably not a sentence that you were expecting to read. In June of 2023 I went to France with a wonderful group of women that I did not know before travelling. I flew solo to Paris and met up with a bunch of ladies and carpooled to a chateau where we learned watercolor from Sarah Cray of Let’s Make Art, enjoyed French cuisine, and took some short day trips to your less than typical tourist attractions. I think my favorite day trip was to the La Moulin A Papier where we learned and participated in making paper from recycled bed sheets and other linens.
In California, I visited my friend. We connected on the trip because we understood each other. I have a tendency to be protective and aware of what people are doing and where they are. I often seem like I’m not paying attention, but really, I’m analyzing every situation around me. I am typically good at reading people, understanding what they need, and how I can help them. I can also be socially awkward.
My friend is fun, creative, and a truly caring person. She wears clothes that make her happy whether they match or not. They are often loud and vibrant and completely match her personality. She lives and works in her own time and knows how to manage herself to accomplish what she needs to get done. She also has some of the same traits as I do. She picks up on a lot of my particulars, when most people do not.
I brought two suitcases with me for a week-long visit, both stuffed to brim with packing cubes inside. Initially, they were labeled, but I removed the labels once I actually packed them and was not as happy about it later. My friend pointed out the particular trait of mine that might reflect why this was the case.
I completely understand that some people may require certain reflections of themselves to adjust to living their lives or getting approval for medication. I prefer not to label myself. I’ve lived a long life without a label, what’s the purpose of having one now? If you’ve read my last my post, you know - I’m just me.
If you look deeper into my motivations you might start to consider where I fall on the spectrum. You might wonder if I have an attention disorder. Do I have anxiety? (Who doesn’t?) What is really “wrong” with me? Nothing. Everything about me is just right, because it makes me, me. Even if I think, I’m a little weird sometimes.
I leave for another trip soon, and I’m thinking about my packing cubes with their lack of labels. As a crafter, creating labels isn’t that difficult of a task, but it is very mundane. A notecard and some tape or a safety pin should be enough. I am wishing for something more aesthetically pleasing. I have a tendency to procrasti-craft. If you want to know what that is, check out next week’s post. I’ll be on vacation by then!