“What’s in your BackPack?” – This is what George Clooney questions all in the movie “Up in the Air” and gets himself proved wrong by the end!
Clooney says we carry a lot of weight in our backpacks…house, office, cars, property, etc….so many materialistic things which slows us down and doesn’t let us enjoy the luxuries life can provide. Even worse when we replace these materialistic things with relationships. The backpack gets way heavier…parents, siblings, wife, children, relatives, friends…all in one BackPack makes our life a back-breaking experience!! We should let all this go and live life at our terms. Feel light…live light!
As Clooney gets proved how wrong this theory is in terms of people, relationships and life, how he is just another man scared of responsibilities, I realized the “backpack” theory isn’t that wrong afterall.. Its all about what you fill your backpack with…
Stepping away from Clooney, the movie and whatever they wanted to say…here’s my version of the backpack theory..
You have a backpack…now fill this backpack with moments that have caused pain in your life. Fill it up with those people, relationships, memories that have become past and only remind you how wrong things went. Fill it up with all the mins, hours, days lost in crying over it. Time went in asking yourself Why me? Why did this happen? Why didn’t it last? Was it even worth me? Fill it up with the people who have hurt you, broken your trust and taken you for granted. The hours of wait which tended to reap nothing… The tears that never stopped flowing…
Take everyone is your life who matter or did mater at one point of time. Now sort out all the good and bad memories knit with them…(don’t be surprised if you can think of more bad ones!) Take the stack of bad memories, quite a pile huh!?, and shove them in that backpack!! Add those love letters of forgotten love, the lonesome collar, the empty chair, bit by bit everything that reminds you of the pain…to the backpack!!
Once done, you will be surprised of how much more the backpack can still hold…now try carrying it around… Don’t you feel a lot heavier, unable to move! This is all you have been carrying around in your head but never realized the weight. I say, throw this backpack away. You deserve a happier life, a chance to enjoy it in all ways. Give yourself the hope that you are great the way you are and deserve to be happy. Smile at the life and see it smile back.
We miss so many beautiful things around us worrying about the inevitable, cribbing over what’s done and mourning over all lost. I am not saying your loss doesn’t matter but what is important is to feel the pain, acknowledge it but not live it. Live only the life you have received as a gift which seems long but reminds you everyday that its getting shorter! Relish it as long as it lasts…
Once you get all the things and more I mentioned above out of your head and simply dump it in the backpack, trust me you will feel welcomed! What do you think?
P.S. – Send the backpack to the Trash can today. May not be easy but you won’t regret. Do not carry it around!
P.P.S. – “Up in the Air” is a good watch and is not just about the Backpack theory. Watching George Clooney play the role of a person who fires employees company to company is…ummm just go watch it. 🙂
9 replies on “Whats in your BackPack?”
Nice backpack theory …..its difficult but required…..nice way to put
keep doing the good work
Hi,
FINALLY!!!!!
Pls don’t let this b a flash in the pan……..WRITE CONSISTENTLY……..!!!
(…all in one BackPack makes our life a back-breaking experience!!) well in case of severe back pain all i can AND WOULD suggest is DO YOGA……..:)))))
OK OK that was a PJ but was on a serious note………
neways jokes apart…..simply loved it…….KEEP WRITING…..
but again how possibly can u forget yr loved ones an MOVE ON……….that means you never really really loved that person in the first place……..dont buy that…….my take….sorry……..
@vineet – yup I know its difficult to implement but is doable. Won’t say one can let go everything but can do-away with a lot too.. You just need to start. Dump things in your backpack one-by-one with each passing day but make sure that what goes into it doesn’t come back… 🙂
@pratibha – heh…I know it took a lot of pushing to make me start writing again. This blog is giving me a feel that this will not be a flash in the pan…and afterall I will also have readers like you who will make me feel then & again that ‘I am Piyush’ 😛
btw…that was a bad PJ…dont push yoga into everything na…and about forgetting your loved ones, I am not saying forget them coz that won’t be easy and possible in case you really did love them. But you gotta shove away whatever din’ work out, keep the good memories…stop questioning the fact that why it din happen the way you had imagined…Let the person be always a part of you only for all the good you shared…
i feel d same….:) very new, refreshed n light…!
mah shoulder ache is getin btr nw..;) actually i din eva realise dat i was carryn loads of stuff along wid me which was too heavy n caused mah shoulder to ache…!!nw i hv dumped it..n thnx nw i feel gud n nice..:)
lykd it luvd it a lott…u ryt so well…vry nice concept…!! a big brain washer…!!
keep writin..gud luck..!!:)))
Hmm.. I watched the movie and really liked it.. But the way you have used it to describe ur version of backpack theory is great.. 🙂 good work Piyush!!!
It is great to leave all the responsibilities. However, it is very to do in practice. Because the life does not let us do it.
@Simon – Hi, I know its not easy to practice as easy it is to say but still if one does try to put if not all but even some of the most small, useless matters – life will become happier.
This is way more helpful than anything else I\’ve lkooed at.