Several years ago, I had the chance to visit Cuba. It’s an amazing country, and also a distinct experience from the wild western world with all of its digital deluge and decision fatigue.
At nearly 500 years old, Cuba is rooted in history. Where America demands and commands choice and immediacy, Cuba innovates and appreciates.
At the time I was there, the average Cuban salary was less than $300 a year–a year, and each family was provided with a coupon book for monthly rations to use at local neighborhood markets. We were with a local tour guide, his name was Marlon, and he wove us through the vendors at the markets while also collecting his own groceries for the month.
It’s the beginning of the month so we have lots of options,” he said, as he bundled up a bag of tomatoes. “These tomatoes will soon be out of season so I’m glad I got some.”
I was so struck by that because I couldn’t recall the last time I wasn’t able to buy a tomato, or most produce for that matter, whenever I wanted. We then stopped by an indoor store to pick up some bottled water. The rickety, narrow shelves really only offered about one brand of each product.
Marlon pointed to that and said “We don’t believe in second chances,” there were some empty spaces along the aisles. “If you see something you want, you should always take it. It may not be here later,” he explained–that was pretty profound.
As we were waiting to pay, I glanced around at the carts of the people around me and I noticed they were only buying just a few items, like dish soap. My American life suddenly felt very full of things. Most of us listening to this right now live in the land of surplus with free shipping, bulk packaging, and Black Fridays. Our needs are an exaggeration. While we wander around with our literal and virtual carts always looking for a better choice, faster options, the Cubans are focusing simply on what’s in front of them right then.
During the days we would adjust the plans as we went along, there was a lot of impromptu stopping, and letting the day just sort of unwind. “In Cuba, we don’t plan on the future,” Marlon said one day over lunch. “You never know what’s going to happen. And that’s okay.”
And it was. The present took on a more brilliant clarity. Our American cell carriers didn’t work and there was intermittent wifi, so during the day our phones stayed silent. That allowed us to talk without hashtags and real time became, well, real.
Marlon taught us a lot of sayings and one of my favorites was ¡Tu maletín!– which could be said a lot better in Spanish, but the meaning is: that’s your suitcase now. Marlon explained it like this “let other people carry the problems”.
And that was so idiosyncratically perfect.
Don’t carry what you didn’t pack.
I was reflecting on this sentiment over the last few weeks as I have been packing up my house in order to sell it. While I’ve only lived there for five years, those years held many literal and emotional suitcases.
Dusty boxes have been demanding my attention and the cluttered closets are too. Purging and packing has been a part-time job and I’ve been struck by how much can be collected unconsciously–how many decisions get shoved into a corner? How many investments get forgotten as soon as they are brought home? For my Cuban friends who live on an actual island, they have resourcefulness vs. retail chains.
There is no Amazon, no bulk buying, and no door dashing of deliveries.
There’s simply for them the suitcase you carry. To make room for something new, you need to create space for it.
So the Bottom Line on Top of this episode (or the bottom line on bottom, in this case) is that oftentimes what we complain about, other people pray for.
So, for today, take a little inventory of what’s in your suitcase. What outdated items, ideas, goals, and even people are you still carrying around with you? The same goes for dusty dreams and long-expired excuses.
What can be released so there’s room for what’s next?
We have more than we need and we need less than we want. For this week, let’s stop focusing on the better and focus instead simply on fewer things.
Doing so might just create space for your future to fit.
