The Baggage Handler

By David Rawlings

Description:

A hothead businessman coming to the city for a showdown meeting to save his job.
A mother of three hoping to survive the days at her sister's house before her niece’s wedding.
And a young artist pursuing his father’s dream so he can keep his own alive.
When David, Gillian, and Michael each take the wrong suitcases from baggage claim, the airline directs them to retrieve their bags at a mysterious facility in a deserted part of the city. There they meet the enigmatic Baggage Handler, who shows them there is more in their baggage than what they have packed, and carrying it with them is slowing them down in ways they can’t imagine. And they must deal with it before they can leave.
In this modern-day parable about the burdens that weigh us down, David Rawlings issues an inspiring invitation to lighten the load.

Book Takeaway:

That we all carry baggage to some extent, and not dealing with your baggage comes with a heavy price. Talk to the Baggage Handler about how you can put down your baggage and move on with your life.

Why the author wrote this book:

I like conversations that go a little deeper into life. Beyond the small talk, into the reasons why we do what we do. That doesn’t mean I like to pry, it’s more that I truly believe we’re not here for a long time, so it seems a bit of a waste to play around at the edges.

That’s actually a driver for my writing. I like to write stories that stay with you after you’ve closed the cover, where the characters are, in part, a reflection of you, the reader, and the thoughts keep being provoked.

I wrote The Baggage Handler after thinking about the concept of the baggage we carry – oftentimes unnecessarily, or simply by habit. I’ve seen people – and done it myself by the way – struggle with the weight of their baggage, when putting it down, opening it and dealing with it would have removed an enormous impediment.

I’ve seen many people over the years carry baggage, or not even be aware it’s slowing them down. Other people have seen me do the same. But it’s when we recognize our baggage and deal with it that we are free from it.

My hope is that people might read The Baggage Handler and feel encouraged or inspired to do the same.