Behind: Short Film Has Your Back(pack)

I never had a security blanket or binky or precious stuffed animal growing up, and I often wondered if I was missing something special. I had books, to which I had a similar devotion, but I had no single object as my constant companion. Unless you count my backpack.

Until adulthood, I can’t remember a day of my life that I didn’t carry a pack of some kind with me. It all started with a green pencil box that I toted everywhere until the rabbits faded and the cardboard started to crumble in my hands. Next, I carried a little red suitcase. Everywhere I went.

When I started school, I had to trade in my adorable luggage for something more practical, but that’s when my life as a tortoise began. Food, tools, books, spare clothes, and toys. From kindergarten well in to adulthood, I wore a tiny apartment on my back almost every waking moment. I nearly cried when my doctor told me I had to quit or risk permanent damage.

It was hard to adapt to life without a backpack. For a while, I blew out the pockets of all my jeans trying to avoid real separation by shifting my center of gravity lower. A futile effort, but you can’t blame me for trying.

These days, my iPhone is my constant companion. It contains an entire wing of my library and it fits in my pocket, but sometimes I still miss my old portable home. Which is why I whooped with joy when I discovered the following short film about a little girl and her beloved backpack. Even those who never formed attachments to their own carryalls can appreciate how important it is for children to believe that someone – or something – always has their back.

‘Behind’ by Ga Young Back