In Eat, Pray, Love the movie there was a scene where the main character, Liz, asks her friend when she did she know she wanted to have a baby. Liz's friend shares that everyone woman has a box where she keeps images and ephemera related to her goals and dreams. She goes on to say that her own box, which she started as a little girl, was filled with things related to starting a family and having a baby (I can't remember if this was in the book as well). Later in the film, Liz is shown going through her box at home pulling out photographs, articles and ephemera she'd collected in her travels and of places she had yet to visit — she was remembering this is what she wanted to do.
Then I thought about my own box and what's inside. I spent an afternoon going through what I had collected over the years and realized it's all printed material with bright colors and textures, pretty string, vintage fabric, stickers, screen-printed and letter-pressed cards, and many other little goodies.
My box doesn't necessarily reveal my dreams or goals but it's an accurate representation of what I like, my style and the kinds of things I enjoy having in my space. Then I started to wonder, is it true that most women, if not all, have some form of this kind of box? A place where they keep reminders of who they are or who and where they want to be?
I think it's important to have these kinds of collections. Whether in the form of a box, a digital folder, vision board or scrap-book being able to revisit and reconnect with images and words that are important to you keeps you focused on your path or at least get you re-energized about the things that make you smile.
So tell me, do you have a box? And what's inside? Don't be afraid to share!
