Two suitcases and a duffle bag

What should I pack? This is the inevitable question before embarking on any journey. What will I need along the way? Do I really need a travel alarm, or will my wristwatch do? Should I take 2 pairs of jeans or three? The tough thing is the uncertainty, never knowing if we will really need what we are taking. Although everyone is different, I find that how we decide what to take on trips is the same. We base the decisions on our values. What is important to me is what I will want on the trip. For example, when my wife and I were first married, we would get ready for a weekend away in two different ways. As I packed the car, my things were in a duffle bag with room to spare. She has two suitcases you have to sit on to shut (one for each day away.) If you looked in our luggage you would find what we value. My tidy little bag shows that I value mobility and simplicity. Hers reveals that she values variety and options. She may not need all that stuff, but its security to know that its there if she ever wanted or needed it. I'm approaching midlife based on my values of packing. I want to simplify my life as I get older. I don't want a lot to encumber me. I don't want lots of stuff to manage. This explains my felt need to rethink all that has been handed to me on my journey up to this point. to be continued...