Vade Mecum
vade mecum —noun
- something a person carries about for frequent or regular use.
- a book for ready reference; manual; handbook.
Luggage sets come with some large bags and at least one small one to be used as a carry-on. We naturally divide things for a journey. Which items will we need handy? Which are relegated to checked luggage?
Understanding our vade mecum can provide insight into what is most important to us. And, what we’re most dependent on. Things we think we can’t live without. Sure, it includes the obvious…wallet, phone, house keys. What else?
When you’re packing for a trip, what makes it under the seat in front of you?
Is there a sacred book? A copy of Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet? A well-worn pocket version of Alcoholics Anonymous? For myself, I am never without my personal journal. Then there are the talismans. A coin passed down from a dear family member. A quarter to pay off evil spirits encountered on your travels. A golf marker from a friend. Sentimentality, superstition, or silliness. We hold on to these things.
What about the other baggage we carry with us? The vade mecum of the mind. Think of it as the lens through which we view the world. Our perceptions of ourselves and of others. Our politics. Our religion. What we know for sure and certain. Aren’t these too a kind of mental handbook dog-eared from frequent use?
Not unlike the occasional upending of our carry-on, there is value in intermittently reviewing how we interpret the world and our place in it. Self-reflection, asking ourselves why we think a certain way (and why and why and why again) can help ensure that what we’re toting around is still relevant and of value.
We may find that our “manual” is out-of-date or our way of thinking has outlived its useful life.
And by letting it go, we are able lighten our load.
