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Packing Light: Thoughts on Living Life with Less Baggage
What do you need to leave behind?
When I was in college, I figured my life would come together around graduation. I'd meet a guy; we'd plan a beautiful wedding and buy a nice house-not necessarily with a picket fence, but with whatever kind of fence we wanted. I might work, or I might not, but whatever we decided, I would be happy.
When I got out of college and my life didn't look like that, I floundered around, trying to figure out how to get the life I had always dreamed of. I went down so many different paths for it. Career. Travel. Friends. Relationships. But none of them were as satisfying as I hoped they would be.
Like many twenty-somethings, I tried desperately to discover the life of my dreams after college, but instead of finding it, I just kept accumulating baggage. I had school loans, car payments, electronics I couldn't afford, a house full of mismatched furniture I didn't love but that had become my own, hurt from broken relationships, and unmet expectations for what life was "supposed to be" like.
Just when I had given up all hope of finding the "life I'd always dreamed about," I decided to take a trip to all fifty states...because when you go on a trip, you can't take your baggage. What I found was that "packing light" wasn't as easy as I thought it was.
This is the story of that trip and learning to live life with less baggage.
When I was in college, I figured my life would come together around graduation. I'd meet a guy; we'd plan a beautiful wedding and buy a nice house-not necessarily with a picket fence, but with whatever kind of fence we wanted. I might work, or I might not, but whatever we decided, I would be happy.
When I got out of college and my life didn't look like that, I floundered around, trying to figure out how to get the life I had always dreamed of. I went down so many different paths for it. Career. Travel. Friends. Relationships. But none of them were as satisfying as I hoped they would be.
Like many twenty-somethings, I tried desperately to discover the life of my dreams after college, but instead of finding it, I just kept accumulating baggage. I had school loans, car payments, electronics I couldn't afford, a house full of mismatched furniture I didn't love but that had become my own, hurt from broken relationships, and unmet expectations for what life was "supposed to be" like.
Just when I had given up all hope of finding the "life I'd always dreamed about," I decided to take a trip to all fifty states...because when you go on a trip, you can't take your baggage. What I found was that "packing light" wasn't as easy as I thought it was.
This is the story of that trip and learning to live life with less baggage.
252 pages, Paperback
First published August 26, 2013
133 people are currently reading
3822 people want to read
About the author
Allison Vesterfelt
5 books51 followersAllison Fallon is an award winning author, sought after public speaker, and nationally recognized writing coach. She has coached hundreds of thousands of writers - from NYT Bestselling authors to total beginners to help them finally get their books written and on shelves. Her most recent book The Power of Writing Things Down walks anyone - even those who swear they aren't "real" writers - through a simple daily practice they can use to reduce anxiety, curb depression, improve their confidence and gain clarity in their life. She lives in Pasadena, California with her husband Matt and her daughter Nella.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
July 13, 2016
I will start by saying that I am seriously not the intended audience for this book and if I had read the description a little bit more carefully, I wouldn't have picked it up. It is much more explicitly Christian than I would have liked and I really don't care about this woman's journey to God.
I was expecting a book about adventures traveling around the US and inspiration for more road trips in my future (although I haven't driven through all 48 contiguous states I have driven across the US twice and up and down the East Coast many times). Instead, I got a book about two young, white, upper middle class women who had the personal resources to quit their jobs for a 6 month road trip and the community resources to ensure that they almost never had to stay in hotels talking about how "hard" it was to do and how "brave" they were to do it. With the added overlay of how much God was helping them in their "difficult journey," I mostly just got fed up. I kept hoping the book would get better, but it didn't. The shortness of the book allowed me to finish it as I kept hoping.
In deference to the author, I am sure that the road trip was at times somewhat scary and more difficult than her everyday life. But to describe a 6 month road trip around a beautiful first-world country that you had the financial ability to take on what was essentially a whim as brave or difficult takes a worldview that has to be deliberately oblivious to how much privilege you actually have. The most difficult thing that happened to the author during this book was that a guy who she met and started dating about 2 weeks before the 6 month road trip broke up with her. (And, yes, this includes having their car break down and needing to buy a new one in the middle of Wyoming. They were able to get a brand new car financed on the spot even while having no jobs, which is further indicative of the overall "difficulty" of their financial situation during the trip.)
Finally, the amount of time the (26 year old) author spent worrying about how she was single and would "spend her life alone" was, frankly, very boring.
I was expecting a book about adventures traveling around the US and inspiration for more road trips in my future (although I haven't driven through all 48 contiguous states I have driven across the US twice and up and down the East Coast many times). Instead, I got a book about two young, white, upper middle class women who had the personal resources to quit their jobs for a 6 month road trip and the community resources to ensure that they almost never had to stay in hotels talking about how "hard" it was to do and how "brave" they were to do it. With the added overlay of how much God was helping them in their "difficult journey," I mostly just got fed up. I kept hoping the book would get better, but it didn't. The shortness of the book allowed me to finish it as I kept hoping.
In deference to the author, I am sure that the road trip was at times somewhat scary and more difficult than her everyday life. But to describe a 6 month road trip around a beautiful first-world country that you had the financial ability to take on what was essentially a whim as brave or difficult takes a worldview that has to be deliberately oblivious to how much privilege you actually have. The most difficult thing that happened to the author during this book was that a guy who she met and started dating about 2 weeks before the 6 month road trip broke up with her. (And, yes, this includes having their car break down and needing to buy a new one in the middle of Wyoming. They were able to get a brand new car financed on the spot even while having no jobs, which is further indicative of the overall "difficulty" of their financial situation during the trip.)
Finally, the amount of time the (26 year old) author spent worrying about how she was single and would "spend her life alone" was, frankly, very boring.
December 22, 2013
I expected to really enjoy this book, so I myself am surprised at my low rating. I'm willing to admit this may be in part because I listened to the audio version (hey, it was free). I don't typically do audio, and after this I probably won't try it again. The reading of it seemed surprisingly...disconnected, I guess, would be the word. It was how I would imagine I would read the book. But the author herself did the reading. It's her own story, so I expected her to have more of a connection, more emotion, in her voice. Other than that, the main reason Packing Light was not my favorite was the story aspect of the book. The pace really dragged at points. There was also a lot of telling, rather than showing. A lot of "I was nervous" instead of "my heartbeat quickened" or what have you. I also didn't understand why a good amount of the story focused on Ben, her boyfriend at the time. I get he was part of the story, in some way, but lines like him saying he'll "miss the sound of her voice" really seem to only be there for the "aww" factor. I guess I just found it to be besides the point. I also don't understand how him saying "I love you" somehow was able to disintegrate all her insecurities. I don't buy it, and it honestly doesn't even sound healthy.
All that being said, I did truly enjoy the reflective parts of her book. Those parts really did shine, although they played a more minor role overall. The chapters where there was more reflective content stood out as more enjoyable for me, but this was probably because I didn't enjoy the story-telling. Halfway through, I realized that I didn't feel like finishing the book. I found myself just not caring anymore. I realize that must sound harsh. It was a logical decision more than anything else. The cons of the book outweighed the pros, and I would rather spend this time reading a book I would enjoy more.
All that being said, I did truly enjoy the reflective parts of her book. Those parts really did shine, although they played a more minor role overall. The chapters where there was more reflective content stood out as more enjoyable for me, but this was probably because I didn't enjoy the story-telling. Halfway through, I realized that I didn't feel like finishing the book. I found myself just not caring anymore. I realize that must sound harsh. It was a logical decision more than anything else. The cons of the book outweighed the pros, and I would rather spend this time reading a book I would enjoy more.
July 20, 2018
Rounding up to 3 ⭐️
Oh boy. This one had the recipe right...making a hard, bold choice to do something spectacular but scary. Road trip to all 50 states. Writing a book. Pursuing a dream. Finding what’s worthwhile....so I’m sad to admit it wasn’t what I’d hoped it to be. The entire book I felt like I was watching it from above, slightly detached, rather than experiencing it. I’m betting her blog is better.
Oh boy. This one had the recipe right...making a hard, bold choice to do something spectacular but scary. Road trip to all 50 states. Writing a book. Pursuing a dream. Finding what’s worthwhile....so I’m sad to admit it wasn’t what I’d hoped it to be. The entire book I felt like I was watching it from above, slightly detached, rather than experiencing it. I’m betting her blog is better.
July 12, 2016
Weak on all aspects
This book tries to be (1) a travelogue, (2) a Christian text on the will of God, (3) a self-help book on minimalism, and fails in all of them.
As a travelogue, the descriptions of places are poor and few. Most states get no mention at all. Since the author is so self-absorbed, there is no time to share whatever she sees in the trip. Like a teenager, she only writes about her feelings. Of course, she travels in the easiest country on Earth, with a car, credit cards, cell phones, GPS and a net of supporters, but sounds like she is backpacking in Central Africa or Afghanistan.
She thinks God is a genius in a bottle who is there for her every wish and desire. She bargains and cajoles Him for 300 pages! And her theology is poor...she practices Eastern yoga and swindles a car seller in $5000. God is there to help her find a parking spot or a husband, but what about obeying Him for a change?
Don't expect to find any tips on minimalist living, either. She threw away what she could not fit in the car. She never did anything crazy...her house, her family , friends, were conveniently waiting for her at the end of the vacation. She even got her job back.
This review should really be named "Spoiled Barbie goes traveling". By far, the worst book I have read this year.
This book tries to be (1) a travelogue, (2) a Christian text on the will of God, (3) a self-help book on minimalism, and fails in all of them.
As a travelogue, the descriptions of places are poor and few. Most states get no mention at all. Since the author is so self-absorbed, there is no time to share whatever she sees in the trip. Like a teenager, she only writes about her feelings. Of course, she travels in the easiest country on Earth, with a car, credit cards, cell phones, GPS and a net of supporters, but sounds like she is backpacking in Central Africa or Afghanistan.
She thinks God is a genius in a bottle who is there for her every wish and desire. She bargains and cajoles Him for 300 pages! And her theology is poor...she practices Eastern yoga and swindles a car seller in $5000. God is there to help her find a parking spot or a husband, but what about obeying Him for a change?
Don't expect to find any tips on minimalist living, either. She threw away what she could not fit in the car. She never did anything crazy...her house, her family , friends, were conveniently waiting for her at the end of the vacation. She even got her job back.
This review should really be named "Spoiled Barbie goes traveling". By far, the worst book I have read this year.
October 29, 2013
I found Ally's blog through Twitter one time and her blog quickly became one of my favorites. I must admit that I really liked reading the stuff she wrote about dating, because I thought they spoke the truth, and not in a flowery way but in a real, age-appropriate, I-can-apply-this-to-my-life way. I was also very, very amazed at how she and her friend quit their jobs, sell everything and then went on a road trip to pursue their dreams. It's such an exciting thing, things that my friends and I can only think about. I mean, quit our jobs, sell everything and travel? It seemed hardly rational.
When I heard that Ally was releasing a book about her adventures in this trip -- and one of the reasons she went on a road trip, I think -- I knew I wanted to read it. I find it funny that this book, like the previous non-fiction book I bought and read -- came to my life at exactly the right time, and it seemed like the words I read were the exact words I needed in my life.
I make it sound so dramatic, I know, but it was the only thing that fits with my reading experience. Packing Light is a memoir of sorts, of Ally's trip with her friend Sharaya, and what she learned about baggage, be it physical or not. Ally talked about the preparations for the trip, her doubts, their adventures and misadventures. She talked about the relationships that she formed and lost and strengthened in the course of six months, how she dealt with heartbreak and how she found herself again. In each of the chapters, Ally would share the lessons she learned, and how she learned that in a trip -- and in life -- you can't take all the baggage that you have accumulated, but packing light isn't always as easy as it sounds.
The best thing about books like this, I think, is its honesty. It helps that I knew Ally from her blog before, and her posts are just so real and honest that I knew her book would be nothing less. Packing Light has that same feel, the same kind of intimacy of a good friend who is telling you her story, and her adventures and you learn a thing or two from what she's saying. I liked reading about how she and Sharaya prepared for the trip, and then she puts it in such a way that anyone could be going through the trip, and the preparations. Ally makes it seem like anyone can do what she and her friend did...and maybe anyone really can. Perhaps not the same kind of trip, but still a trip that has a potential to change your life. Then again, every trip has a potential to do that, right?
Needless to say, I loved Packing Light . I learned a lot while I was reading it, and I bet that if I reread it again, I will learn new things too. This is exactly the kind of book that I'd recommend to read if you're at a crossroad in your life, if you're having a life crisis, if you're feeling a little lost and broken and you don't want to be alone. But even if you're not in any of those states, I still think Packing Light is a must-read book. Ally's experiences teach us about what baggage can do in our life, and how important it is to let go.
If you want read more about Ally's thoughts on living a life with less, you can visit her blog here. :)
* Also posted at I Like It Dog-Eared
When I heard that Ally was releasing a book about her adventures in this trip -- and one of the reasons she went on a road trip, I think -- I knew I wanted to read it. I find it funny that this book, like the previous non-fiction book I bought and read -- came to my life at exactly the right time, and it seemed like the words I read were the exact words I needed in my life.
I make it sound so dramatic, I know, but it was the only thing that fits with my reading experience. Packing Light is a memoir of sorts, of Ally's trip with her friend Sharaya, and what she learned about baggage, be it physical or not. Ally talked about the preparations for the trip, her doubts, their adventures and misadventures. She talked about the relationships that she formed and lost and strengthened in the course of six months, how she dealt with heartbreak and how she found herself again. In each of the chapters, Ally would share the lessons she learned, and how she learned that in a trip -- and in life -- you can't take all the baggage that you have accumulated, but packing light isn't always as easy as it sounds.
The best thing about books like this, I think, is its honesty. It helps that I knew Ally from her blog before, and her posts are just so real and honest that I knew her book would be nothing less. Packing Light has that same feel, the same kind of intimacy of a good friend who is telling you her story, and her adventures and you learn a thing or two from what she's saying. I liked reading about how she and Sharaya prepared for the trip, and then she puts it in such a way that anyone could be going through the trip, and the preparations. Ally makes it seem like anyone can do what she and her friend did...and maybe anyone really can. Perhaps not the same kind of trip, but still a trip that has a potential to change your life. Then again, every trip has a potential to do that, right?
Needless to say, I loved Packing Light . I learned a lot while I was reading it, and I bet that if I reread it again, I will learn new things too. This is exactly the kind of book that I'd recommend to read if you're at a crossroad in your life, if you're having a life crisis, if you're feeling a little lost and broken and you don't want to be alone. But even if you're not in any of those states, I still think Packing Light is a must-read book. Ally's experiences teach us about what baggage can do in our life, and how important it is to let go.
If you want read more about Ally's thoughts on living a life with less, you can visit her blog here. :)
* Also posted at I Like It Dog-Eared
January 13, 2018
I picked up this book because I'm a minimalist and I thought it was actually about packing. Boy, was I wrong ;-) Instead, a beautiful story unfolded of two women taking big risks and setting off on a six-month adventure of a lifetime. Packing light is a metaphor and a philosophy (and an actual packing strategy) they learned along the way.
June 23, 2015
I thought it was another i-discovered-myself-ona-fiddy-state-roadtrip-wifma-girlfriend memoir. Or maybe a minimalism book. But no, my friends.
Ally digs through all kinds of baggage on her trip, and mostly spiritual and emotional. Not even necessarily bad baggage, but baggage with the question of What do I NEED to keep? what needs to go? Selfishness baggage. Overpreparation baggage. Control baggage. Disappointment baggage. There is stuff God wants you to let go of, yet there are things we really should hold on to.
The journey of her romance that began like an answer from God then fell apart was raw...and upset me enough to put the book down for months, as I was experiencing the same thing. But you know? I began to understand the baggage I needed to let go. And I deeply appreciate her honesty, not pretending it never hurt or bothered her again.
I'd recommend this to you minimalists, and you blog-style book lovers!
Ally digs through all kinds of baggage on her trip, and mostly spiritual and emotional. Not even necessarily bad baggage, but baggage with the question of What do I NEED to keep? what needs to go? Selfishness baggage. Overpreparation baggage. Control baggage. Disappointment baggage. There is stuff God wants you to let go of, yet there are things we really should hold on to.
The journey of her romance that began like an answer from God then fell apart was raw...and upset me enough to put the book down for months, as I was experiencing the same thing. But you know? I began to understand the baggage I needed to let go. And I deeply appreciate her honesty, not pretending it never hurt or bothered her again.
I'd recommend this to you minimalists, and you blog-style book lovers!
November 19, 2016
Although I'm not going to follow in Allison's footsteps, the beginning of her story looks a lot like my current season. Some of the bigger details, like career and relationship status, differ, but our hearts start out the same. "Is this really all there is? If not, am I even capable of more?" I enjoy reading memoirs of people who remind me of myself because I find hope inside of them, the promise of a more interesting life several years down the road. But that's not the lesson I learned here...instead, I know that real life is happening to me right now, not just in some distant future. I feel restless and boring now, but I do have potential. It will just take a lot of courage and surrender to let my life become something worth writing down.
August 19, 2013
This is a road trip book, the story of how Vesterfelt took a leap and went on tour with a friend as her roadie in all 50 states. I enjoyed the stories of exploring America, but I thought the metaphor of “packing light” got stretched a little thin. I also thought that too much of the story was about her writing the book. Recommended for: people who are thinking about what they carry with them, both physically and emotionally.
October 25, 2016
I don't understand why this book didn't get a better rating. I loved it. It opened my eyes to do many things. I was in a funk when I started this book and it helped pull me out. I wanted to know where they were going next, how they got from one place to another, what their relationship statuses were, etc etc. I'm not a big religious person; more so a spiritual person, but I found this book inspiring.
August 19, 2016
Despite starting it with serious excitement on my own cross-country road trip, I really did not like this book.
For one, Ally and Sharaya travel to 48 states over several months, but it really feels like there is no story. Rather than retelling something factual that happened to the pair, more often than not Ally will sum it up in a few paragraphs and then ramble on for several more about the implications of whatever had happened, like I was supposed to get incredible insight from something to which I often didn't even relate.
But I think I primarily didn't like this book because of the tone. While Ally perhaps does have a fair amount more insight than some people who have never left their state or their coast, I felt she was pushing her ideas on me throughout the book in a way that almost made me angry (and this never happens to me when I read).
This may just be because I have my own ideas and experiences around going cross-country, but I held a constant disregard for Ally's sweeping romantic (or religious) summaries of what she'd learned on a particular day or because of a particular event and found myself skimming through the vast majority of them in favor of the snippets of what actually happened.
For one, Ally and Sharaya travel to 48 states over several months, but it really feels like there is no story. Rather than retelling something factual that happened to the pair, more often than not Ally will sum it up in a few paragraphs and then ramble on for several more about the implications of whatever had happened, like I was supposed to get incredible insight from something to which I often didn't even relate.
But I think I primarily didn't like this book because of the tone. While Ally perhaps does have a fair amount more insight than some people who have never left their state or their coast, I felt she was pushing her ideas on me throughout the book in a way that almost made me angry (and this never happens to me when I read).
This may just be because I have my own ideas and experiences around going cross-country, but I held a constant disregard for Ally's sweeping romantic (or religious) summaries of what she'd learned on a particular day or because of a particular event and found myself skimming through the vast majority of them in favor of the snippets of what actually happened.
May 6, 2017
While the title intrigued me, this book fell short of the "promised" mark in so many ways. About 2/3 of the way through, it seemed to turn into a whine fest. I agree with the author's premise that God does not force you down certain paths; however, neither does he promise that you are not going to have to take up a cross in order to follow him.
I kept waiting for insights on pairing down. And, the car seemed to be filled more and more with baggage on all levels...physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
I was confused with her dilemma of being known as a "Christian author." I wondered, for example, if C.S. Lewis wrestled with such things. While I believe she was stating that she did not want to be known as a niche author, this book is definitely of that genre.
Hopefully, she touched base with her friends about her great revelations before she published her slant on the situations. I am not sure how helpful they were to the average individual and I would believe that they would strain friendships.
Finally, it appeared that she was most satisfied when she had tangible evidence that she was successful. Big rooms in hotel for conferences, a trip to Alaska, and blog audiences. Would she be a failure as an author if those things did not come being?
I kept waiting for insights on pairing down. And, the car seemed to be filled more and more with baggage on all levels...physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
I was confused with her dilemma of being known as a "Christian author." I wondered, for example, if C.S. Lewis wrestled with such things. While I believe she was stating that she did not want to be known as a niche author, this book is definitely of that genre.
Hopefully, she touched base with her friends about her great revelations before she published her slant on the situations. I am not sure how helpful they were to the average individual and I would believe that they would strain friendships.
Finally, it appeared that she was most satisfied when she had tangible evidence that she was successful. Big rooms in hotel for conferences, a trip to Alaska, and blog audiences. Would she be a failure as an author if those things did not come being?
May 5, 2019
Perhaps if I was single and in my 20’s and made a bold move to quit my job to go on a six-month road trip to all 50 states, I might have enjoyed this book more. Perhaps if there was less of an emphasis on Ally’s conflict over whether she was or was not a “Christian writer”, I might have related more to it. Perhaps if I had looked more closely at what this book was about, I might have passed on it. Honestly, since I am currently traveling extensively all over the US, I was excited to read someone else’s story about their similar travels, but I just could not relate to Ally’s story or her stage in life. I also thought there was way too much emphasis on her relationship with Ben (I wonder how he felt about his starring role in her book…..) and not enough focus on the places she visited.
January 4, 2020
Letting go and finding yourself. This is what I took away from the book.
I enjoyed reading this book and the journey these two brave women took to trust in themselves and God. I recommend this book to young adults when they are just beginning their life’s adventures and thinking they need so much stuff. I’m close to retirement age and realizing I have accumulated too much. Value relationships not things is what is important and you will find yourself.
I enjoyed reading this book and the journey these two brave women took to trust in themselves and God. I recommend this book to young adults when they are just beginning their life’s adventures and thinking they need so much stuff. I’m close to retirement age and realizing I have accumulated too much. Value relationships not things is what is important and you will find yourself.
November 3, 2020
After six years, this reread still deserves the five-star rating I gave it way back—around 2014. It was “life-changing” then when I had young adulthood to look forward to, and it’s “life-changing” now as I can relate to Allison’s adventures, stage of life, and state of mind. Time for a fifty-state road trip!
July 23, 2017
Totally a great new year's read. Very inspiring and helped me to think... what is truly holding me back in life? And, she really dissects some Bible verses and got me thinking in new ways about how there can be so many ways to truly look at a passage in the Bible. Overall, very interesting, thought provoking, and fun too!
February 12, 2018
I appreciated how honest and vulnerable the author was in the book. I also appreciated her shared nuggets of wisdom. Traveling all 50 states is an amazing feat no matter the circumstances and the author and her friend did have some trials and triumphs. While some things could have gone a lot worse it wasn't all rainbows for them and the experience impacted them both in different ways.
October 26, 2018
I started reading this one because I thought it was going to be about minimalism, traveling, and maybe one-bagging, but I was sadly mistaken. This is one of those books that I spite-read all the way through, just so that I can legitimately say that I read the whole thing and stand behind my bad rating of it. It was suuper frustrating to read.
October 5, 2016
Taking a Leap of Faith
Interesting take on being a Christian and following God's plan. Many times I have felt that God was punishing me and forcing me to do something I was really afraid of. This book helped me to realize how unfounded those fears are.
Interesting take on being a Christian and following God's plan. Many times I have felt that God was punishing me and forcing me to do something I was really afraid of. This book helped me to realize how unfounded those fears are.
October 12, 2014
I thought this book was wonderful. It's not what I was expecting, but still great nonetheless. Allison Vesterfelt tells her readers how to handle emotional and material baggage.
March 25, 2017
NOTES:
The place you start your journey is your anchor, the filter through which you process every single stop along the way. Our places shape us and teach us until, before we know it, we do not just live in a place. It lives inside of us.
Your starting point matters when you go on a trip. It is your only frame of reference for what to bring, and what to leave behind.
It’s cool to be smart in Portland. It’s cool to be politically active, to read books, to use big words like “socially constructed realities.”
I grew up with a hunger to try to experience things for myself and make my own decisions. This sometimes got me into trouble in church, but it rarely stopped me.
The collision of church and culture left me confused in many ways.
We are all carrying baggage—things we’ve picked up at home, past experiences, expectations for what’s ahead. I hope it will encourage you to go on a trip.
I couldn’t get rid of this nagging question in the back of my mind: What was I supposed to give my life to?
“It’s just one little baby step at a time,” she continued. “If you try to figure out how to do everything, all at once, you’ll get overwhelmed.
It isn’t until we believe in ourselves to do something radical that we invite others to believe with us.
We titled the blog “Packing Light.” The idea came from a story in the Gospels of a “rich young ruler.”
Jesus answers him, but I’m certain it wasn’t the answer he was expecting. “Sell everything you own and give it to the poor.”
God doesn’t want us to be rich. Poor people have an easier time understanding their need for God, so Jesus doesn’t want this man to have nice things because his things get in the way of him loving God.
I wondered if God was saying to me that if I let go of everything, I would find what I had always wanted.
“Life is about the not knowing, the delicious and often terrifying ambiguity, having to change, accommodate … taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what is next.” GILDA RADNER
Embrace the unexpected, even if you’re not sure how it will turn out.
The more stuff you bring with you, the more complicated everything gets.
I wonder if what we need, more than anything, is for someone to tell us we’re going to “make it.”
I want to be the kind of writer who is awake to the realities of heaven, but engaged in the realities of this world.
I would give up anything to keep this feeling—the feeling of being close to Him. “That’s packing light,” I felt Him whisper, but it wasn’t so much of a voice as it was a deep reassurance from somewhere inside myself.
Some of our best decisions are made on the fly, on instinct—without too much deliberation, without an elaborate pro/con list.
After a while, it doesn’t matter who you’re traveling with—they just start to get on your nerves.
Until we stop blindly following rules, we’re sleepwalking through our life.
When we become who we were made to be, we come alive, but the people around us come alive too.
If you want to experience a place, you have to experience its people, more than its landmarks, or restaurants, or ice cream, or history. You have to come into contact with the stories of the people who live there.
Is it possible to pack light with people? Is it necessary? Is there ever a time when letting people go is the right answer?
Fear is a self-fulfilling prophecy. We’re afraid so we act out of fear, and because we act out of fear, our fears tend to come true.
Her confidence that everything was going to work out was contagious and irresistible.
I wish I could have known my internal world was telling me lies about my external world and what was happening in it.
If we believe God is a dictator, barking orders down from above, after a while we start to resent Him.
“Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and do that. Because what this world needs are people who have come alive.” JOHN ELDREDGE
I wasn’t sure what packing light lessons really looked like in my everyday life, but I knew I had to try.
The journey had changed me. Sharaya had changed me. That’s what friends do, I think.
Sometimes the luxuries we experience are as important to our journey as our discomfort. To say that the answer to living life to the fullest is just giving up all our stuff is giving our “stuff” way too much credit.
When stuff becomes the point of our life, we miss out on the greatest blessing of all: the freedom we feel when we’re fully engaged in the push-pull of life, the letting go, and the holding on.
You never know what will happen when you get out of the car, or out of your seat, and ask a question.
It’s funny how the more responsibility you take for your actions, the more fun life becomes.
God isn’t mad at us; He’s just waiting for us to wake up, to take responsibility, and to start living life with Him. He’s waiting for us to do something beautiful, something courageous, something totally out of the ordinary. Your whole life is an invitation. God isn’t going to tell you the “right” answer or force you in a certain direction, because if He did, He would only be stealing the joy that comes when you pick yourself.
The place you start your journey is your anchor, the filter through which you process every single stop along the way. Our places shape us and teach us until, before we know it, we do not just live in a place. It lives inside of us.
Your starting point matters when you go on a trip. It is your only frame of reference for what to bring, and what to leave behind.
It’s cool to be smart in Portland. It’s cool to be politically active, to read books, to use big words like “socially constructed realities.”
I grew up with a hunger to try to experience things for myself and make my own decisions. This sometimes got me into trouble in church, but it rarely stopped me.
The collision of church and culture left me confused in many ways.
We are all carrying baggage—things we’ve picked up at home, past experiences, expectations for what’s ahead. I hope it will encourage you to go on a trip.
I couldn’t get rid of this nagging question in the back of my mind: What was I supposed to give my life to?
“It’s just one little baby step at a time,” she continued. “If you try to figure out how to do everything, all at once, you’ll get overwhelmed.
It isn’t until we believe in ourselves to do something radical that we invite others to believe with us.
We titled the blog “Packing Light.” The idea came from a story in the Gospels of a “rich young ruler.”
Jesus answers him, but I’m certain it wasn’t the answer he was expecting. “Sell everything you own and give it to the poor.”
God doesn’t want us to be rich. Poor people have an easier time understanding their need for God, so Jesus doesn’t want this man to have nice things because his things get in the way of him loving God.
I wondered if God was saying to me that if I let go of everything, I would find what I had always wanted.
“Life is about the not knowing, the delicious and often terrifying ambiguity, having to change, accommodate … taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what is next.” GILDA RADNER
Embrace the unexpected, even if you’re not sure how it will turn out.
The more stuff you bring with you, the more complicated everything gets.
I wonder if what we need, more than anything, is for someone to tell us we’re going to “make it.”
I want to be the kind of writer who is awake to the realities of heaven, but engaged in the realities of this world.
I would give up anything to keep this feeling—the feeling of being close to Him. “That’s packing light,” I felt Him whisper, but it wasn’t so much of a voice as it was a deep reassurance from somewhere inside myself.
Some of our best decisions are made on the fly, on instinct—without too much deliberation, without an elaborate pro/con list.
After a while, it doesn’t matter who you’re traveling with—they just start to get on your nerves.
Until we stop blindly following rules, we’re sleepwalking through our life.
When we become who we were made to be, we come alive, but the people around us come alive too.
If you want to experience a place, you have to experience its people, more than its landmarks, or restaurants, or ice cream, or history. You have to come into contact with the stories of the people who live there.
Is it possible to pack light with people? Is it necessary? Is there ever a time when letting people go is the right answer?
Fear is a self-fulfilling prophecy. We’re afraid so we act out of fear, and because we act out of fear, our fears tend to come true.
Her confidence that everything was going to work out was contagious and irresistible.
I wish I could have known my internal world was telling me lies about my external world and what was happening in it.
If we believe God is a dictator, barking orders down from above, after a while we start to resent Him.
“Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and do that. Because what this world needs are people who have come alive.” JOHN ELDREDGE
I wasn’t sure what packing light lessons really looked like in my everyday life, but I knew I had to try.
The journey had changed me. Sharaya had changed me. That’s what friends do, I think.
Sometimes the luxuries we experience are as important to our journey as our discomfort. To say that the answer to living life to the fullest is just giving up all our stuff is giving our “stuff” way too much credit.
When stuff becomes the point of our life, we miss out on the greatest blessing of all: the freedom we feel when we’re fully engaged in the push-pull of life, the letting go, and the holding on.
You never know what will happen when you get out of the car, or out of your seat, and ask a question.
It’s funny how the more responsibility you take for your actions, the more fun life becomes.
God isn’t mad at us; He’s just waiting for us to wake up, to take responsibility, and to start living life with Him. He’s waiting for us to do something beautiful, something courageous, something totally out of the ordinary. Your whole life is an invitation. God isn’t going to tell you the “right” answer or force you in a certain direction, because if He did, He would only be stealing the joy that comes when you pick yourself.
September 4, 2025
This is a 2.5 stars for me. The writing is simple and I did enjoy the story somewhat, but I feel like it was not able to capture my attention in a way I was intending it to. It felt more of a simplistic story by the author about her road trip and the challenges she faced as one would expect to during a long road trip. Unfortunately I didn’t have any moments where I was hooked onto the reading, anticipating what would happen next, there were no major roller coasters as one would expect from a road trip to 50 states.
The one aspect that seemed unrealistic was how they somehow had arrangements everywhere they went. Either they knew someone who knew someone, or somehow without much trouble they always seemed to figure it out. It was either the writing that made it sound easy or maybe that’s just how the author intended to write it. Anyways, felt a little redundant, monotone & simple.
Also there was a lot of ‘God’ element that I felt was just added because the author is and wanted to portray herself as a Christian author.
I feel like this book had a lot of potential story wise and could be more adventurous.
The one aspect that seemed unrealistic was how they somehow had arrangements everywhere they went. Either they knew someone who knew someone, or somehow without much trouble they always seemed to figure it out. It was either the writing that made it sound easy or maybe that’s just how the author intended to write it. Anyways, felt a little redundant, monotone & simple.
Also there was a lot of ‘God’ element that I felt was just added because the author is and wanted to portray herself as a Christian author.
I feel like this book had a lot of potential story wise and could be more adventurous.
March 31, 2018
I thought the book was more introspective than expected but that was a good thing to me. I could relate to the author and gained something from her insights. The book is more about the mental and emotional baggage we carry than physical baggage.
Cons: If you're looking for a book about travel, this book isn't it. There is a strong Christian message throughout the book that some might not appreciate. And obviously, the writer comes from a place of privilege to be able to take on such a trip in the first place.
Cons: If you're looking for a book about travel, this book isn't it. There is a strong Christian message throughout the book that some might not appreciate. And obviously, the writer comes from a place of privilege to be able to take on such a trip in the first place.
April 19, 2018
Surprisingly poignant. I picked this up thinking it would be a light travel memoir to entertain but expected little more.
However, I found resonance in her graceful writing style and compassionately articulated philosophizing. Her voice remains with me several other books later, thrumming gently through my mind like a background of soft jazz — in tones that are improvisational, earnest, complex, and lovely.
I hope the author continues sharing her personal journey with the world and knows that she has touched another life along the way. Mine.
However, I found resonance in her graceful writing style and compassionately articulated philosophizing. Her voice remains with me several other books later, thrumming gently through my mind like a background of soft jazz — in tones that are improvisational, earnest, complex, and lovely.
I hope the author continues sharing her personal journey with the world and knows that she has touched another life along the way. Mine.
November 3, 2021
This was a timely read for me. It’s one of those books that “chose me”, as my sister in law says. The end of this book lined up so timely with some of my own life circumstances. As I was dealing with jealousy with in friendship, Ally began talking about the same idea. I believe God was using Ally’s gift of writing to bless and encourage me on similar trials and struggles. Her wisdom really encouraged me to move forward and allow the jealousy I am feeling to propel me to different things to better my circumstance, instead of staying stuck. Thanks Ally!! Loved it!
December 5, 2020
Abandoned after 42% read.
My mistake for picking up a book by a twenty-something trying to "find herself" by quitting her job and going on a road trip to all fifty States.
The writing is a lot of telling. After over 100 pages where nothing really happens and the author's thought life comes across as very shallow, I wanted to give up, so I skipped to the end and skimmed to see if I'd be missing anything good, and I clearly wouldn't be.
My mistake for picking up a book by a twenty-something trying to "find herself" by quitting her job and going on a road trip to all fifty States.
The writing is a lot of telling. After over 100 pages where nothing really happens and the author's thought life comes across as very shallow, I wanted to give up, so I skipped to the end and skimmed to see if I'd be missing anything good, and I clearly wouldn't be.
June 5, 2017
Loved this
This book was a life changing read for me. I see many changes coming because I intend to apply the principles in this book. It is essential to hold lightly to our possessions and lean on the Lord to experience life to it's fullest. Old and young will be able to be inspired by this book!!
This book was a life changing read for me. I see many changes coming because I intend to apply the principles in this book. It is essential to hold lightly to our possessions and lean on the Lord to experience life to it's fullest. Old and young will be able to be inspired by this book!!
March 19, 2018
This book didn't wow me but it was interesting. The author and a friend decided to take a road trip through all 48 states (and hopefully find a way to Hawaii and Alaska, too) and blog about it along the way. They experienced trials, joys, heartbreak, confusion, and hardship along the way. Oh, and they learned a lot about life, and about themselves.
September 26, 2016
Minimalism with a Christian slant....
This book made me think hard about book reviews and their usefulness and short-comings. I bought this book largely because of the beautifully written, heartfelt review by Chad. He loved it and I was sure I would, too. Like Chad, I'm discouraged by how many Americans have bought into materialism and the horrible price we pay. Also, I have two young relatives who've announced that they're taking time off for an extended car/camping trip through the Western states. I'm thrilled for them, although some of their older relatives disapprove. Finally, it just sounded like so much FUN. Two young women traveling to all fifty states. I imagined that it would be chock full of hilarious stories.
But one of the things that the author discovers on her journey is that events (and books) often turn out different than we expect and the "different" doesn't have to mean "disappointing" unless you're too rigid to accept the unexpected lessons that life has to teach us. This book was far different than I expected, but I'm glad I read it. Thanks, Chad.
When I saw that it's published by Moody (a well-known Christian publisher) I was surprised, although not put off. I read many books by people of faith and my enjoyment isn't based on total agreement with their beliefs. Sadly, we seem to have become divided into a society that either refuses to read "Christian" books or refuses to read anything else. As the author points out, how can we bridge gaps unless we try to see how the other person thinks and feels?
She has the "other-worldliness" (for lack of a better word) of people I've known who grew up in missionary families. I had to laugh at her dismay when she fears the reaction to her having spent the night in a hotel room with a man - both fully clothed and not sexually engaged in any way. By her lights, most of us should be crawling over hot coals to atone for our sins.
And yet, she's a rebel in a mild way. She realizes that she's been a "rules-follower" ("pleaser" would be another way of putting it) all her life and begins to question the value of that attitude. "It's a very Christian idea that God has everything under control...." she writes. "I wonder if some times we take this as an excuse to do nothing." Iconoclastic words from a girl raised in a conservative, evangelical church.
Some of her discoveries are ones that a old lady like me made long ago. Traveling (even for pleasure) is hard work. [Why I think young folks should travel BEFORE they settle down, not after they've "made it."] The maturity/wisdom/confidence that we associate with being an adult isn't automatically conferred on you on your 18th birthday, or along with your college diploma, your first real job, your marriage certificate or even the birth of a child. It comes from experience and that takes time. In a sense, this is a young person's book and I'm not a young person.
What disappointed me the most is that I expected it to be a recounting of the nut-and-bolts of her saga and that never happened. She tells almost nothing about their preparation for the trip except that she was able to get her student loan payments deferred. The reader is left in the dark about her employment arrangements, how her roommate managed without her, or her parent's reaction to her trip. Apparently, planning for car repairs didn't enter into the preparation since a car break-down led to the hasty (and probably ill-advised) purchase of a new car.
Another major problem is the almost total lack of humor. She refers to funny incidents, but seems to believe that her readers wouldn't be interested in hearing them. She has no talent for making you feel that you're taking a journey along with her. In other words, she's a good writer, but a lousy story-teller. I like both combined, but I'll settle for good stories told by someone who can't write very well.
This author set out to write a book in which she described how she grew and matured during her journey. To her, what is important is her feelings and reactions. In that sense, she was successful. It's not her fault that her book that has little to say to me. I think if you're a young Christian searching for someone who shares your beliefs and has advice about living a spiritual life in a secular world, this book would be very meaningful to you. I understand that the author is reluctant to emphasize that in her book description, knowing that some readers might reject it on that basis. However, I suspect that the reviewer who spoke of the book being too "preachy" was trying to express a sense that we were blind-sided when we bought
I got it on sale for 99 cents and I got far more out of it than that modest price. I enjoy reading about the lives of others, even if we don't have much in common. This young woman writes well and she's an admirable person, but I think she's short-changing herself as a writer. She feels that her writing is raw and personal, but I think there's more to her than she shows in this book. I hope that age and greater maturity will allow her to reveal herself more to the reader.
I liked it, but I was prepared to love it. With a bit less concentration on her spiritual journey and a bit more on her physical journey, I think I would have.
This book made me think hard about book reviews and their usefulness and short-comings. I bought this book largely because of the beautifully written, heartfelt review by Chad. He loved it and I was sure I would, too. Like Chad, I'm discouraged by how many Americans have bought into materialism and the horrible price we pay. Also, I have two young relatives who've announced that they're taking time off for an extended car/camping trip through the Western states. I'm thrilled for them, although some of their older relatives disapprove. Finally, it just sounded like so much FUN. Two young women traveling to all fifty states. I imagined that it would be chock full of hilarious stories.
But one of the things that the author discovers on her journey is that events (and books) often turn out different than we expect and the "different" doesn't have to mean "disappointing" unless you're too rigid to accept the unexpected lessons that life has to teach us. This book was far different than I expected, but I'm glad I read it. Thanks, Chad.
When I saw that it's published by Moody (a well-known Christian publisher) I was surprised, although not put off. I read many books by people of faith and my enjoyment isn't based on total agreement with their beliefs. Sadly, we seem to have become divided into a society that either refuses to read "Christian" books or refuses to read anything else. As the author points out, how can we bridge gaps unless we try to see how the other person thinks and feels?
She has the "other-worldliness" (for lack of a better word) of people I've known who grew up in missionary families. I had to laugh at her dismay when she fears the reaction to her having spent the night in a hotel room with a man - both fully clothed and not sexually engaged in any way. By her lights, most of us should be crawling over hot coals to atone for our sins.
And yet, she's a rebel in a mild way. She realizes that she's been a "rules-follower" ("pleaser" would be another way of putting it) all her life and begins to question the value of that attitude. "It's a very Christian idea that God has everything under control...." she writes. "I wonder if some times we take this as an excuse to do nothing." Iconoclastic words from a girl raised in a conservative, evangelical church.
Some of her discoveries are ones that a old lady like me made long ago. Traveling (even for pleasure) is hard work. [Why I think young folks should travel BEFORE they settle down, not after they've "made it."] The maturity/wisdom/confidence that we associate with being an adult isn't automatically conferred on you on your 18th birthday, or along with your college diploma, your first real job, your marriage certificate or even the birth of a child. It comes from experience and that takes time. In a sense, this is a young person's book and I'm not a young person.
What disappointed me the most is that I expected it to be a recounting of the nut-and-bolts of her saga and that never happened. She tells almost nothing about their preparation for the trip except that she was able to get her student loan payments deferred. The reader is left in the dark about her employment arrangements, how her roommate managed without her, or her parent's reaction to her trip. Apparently, planning for car repairs didn't enter into the preparation since a car break-down led to the hasty (and probably ill-advised) purchase of a new car.
Another major problem is the almost total lack of humor. She refers to funny incidents, but seems to believe that her readers wouldn't be interested in hearing them. She has no talent for making you feel that you're taking a journey along with her. In other words, she's a good writer, but a lousy story-teller. I like both combined, but I'll settle for good stories told by someone who can't write very well.
This author set out to write a book in which she described how she grew and matured during her journey. To her, what is important is her feelings and reactions. In that sense, she was successful. It's not her fault that her book that has little to say to me. I think if you're a young Christian searching for someone who shares your beliefs and has advice about living a spiritual life in a secular world, this book would be very meaningful to you. I understand that the author is reluctant to emphasize that in her book description, knowing that some readers might reject it on that basis. However, I suspect that the reviewer who spoke of the book being too "preachy" was trying to express a sense that we were blind-sided when we bought
I got it on sale for 99 cents and I got far more out of it than that modest price. I enjoy reading about the lives of others, even if we don't have much in common. This young woman writes well and she's an admirable person, but I think she's short-changing herself as a writer. She feels that her writing is raw and personal, but I think there's more to her than she shows in this book. I hope that age and greater maturity will allow her to reveal herself more to the reader.
I liked it, but I was prepared to love it. With a bit less concentration on her spiritual journey and a bit more on her physical journey, I think I would have.
July 16, 2017
Inspiring
I really enjoyed the author's candid and honest assessment of herself. I felt I was sitting down just having a cup of coffee with her getting to know her. And I could relate to her view of God. God is good and wants us all to experience a piece of heaven if we just get out of our own way.
I really enjoyed the author's candid and honest assessment of herself. I felt I was sitting down just having a cup of coffee with her getting to know her. And I could relate to her view of God. God is good and wants us all to experience a piece of heaven if we just get out of our own way.
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