Channel surfing the other night, I saw thoughts about travel written on the screen over moody shots of landscapes and moody looking people.

“A journey brings us face to face with ourselves,” I read. “Does the person create the journey, or does the journey create the person?”

Nothing terribly original, but still somewhat thoughtful for television. I was wondering what the ad was for – study abroad? Peace Corps? —when the name Louis Vuitton appeared on the screen, next to a heavily-initialed bag.

I checked the Louis Vuitton website and found the commercial, here called “Louis Vuitton Core Values Film.” The language was as startling as the company's attempt to portray its expensive accessories as boons to meaningful travel.

I started thinking back to my most memorable trips and wondered: Would they have been better if I had traveled with a Louis Vuitton bag?

Then I remembered the freelance story that Pamela Petro wrote for me years ago: It was about running out of money in Portugal, and how the trip blossomed because of her sudden need for people.

Here’s a thought for the folks at Vuitton: A journey's richness is dependent on how you carry yourself, not your belongings.

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