Last night I watched the film Eat, Pray, Love. I was particularly intrigued by the part in the film when she and her friend discuss their “boxes.” Each box was distinct and held special contents for the women.
I reached under my bed searching for the round figure that I had stored all my hopes and dreams in. I pulled the brightly colored hatbox out and removed the top. It was like strolling down memory lane. I first removed pictures that I had taken with my friends and family in various places. Then I removed postcards of places I wanted to travel. As I removed the postcard of the Boston Skyline, I smiled. I can mark that off my list. I removed a postcard of Chicago; nope I still haven’t been there. I removed cards that were given to me by friends. Some I still have a relationship with; other’s who I had lost touch with. Folded up at the bottom was a magazine cutout of a beach house I had fallen in love with.
I started to ponder why we keep these boxes. It is as though they serve as an evaluation of how much we have accomplished. As far as my evaluation I was somewhat pleased. There were some contents that were no longer of importance to my life. There were several places I could mark off my “To Visit” list, but many more left. And I wasn’t sure how long it would be before I owned the house of my dreams. After examining the contents of my box, I decided to restock it with new things I wanted to accomplish and do. Hopefully by the next time I open my box, I will be able to mark more things off my list.
