In 1893, Sears. Roebuck and Co. was founded and was commonly referred to as Sears. It was a mail-order store. It had not retail sites until 1925. The Sears catalog was an approximately 9 ½”x 11 ½” , 300 plus page publication of over three hundred pages everything. It was an early Amazon via pages. Adults and children were excited when the catalog arrived at the house. There were housewares, garden supplies, toys, gadgets, furniture, appliances, tools, jewelry, perfumes, office supplies and clothes galore. The merchandise was for ordinary people. The catalog was a paper mall. Adults would look for needed and dream items. One may not be able now to purchase some items, but the catalog gave a picture, as description, a price, and the process to obtain items. Children drooled over the pictures/drawings of toys for days, months. Even if they knew their parent or guardians could not afford the items, the catalog toys became the content of dreams and aspirations. All ages did the same.
Life is very much a catalog that presents to us many possibilities. We latch onto a few of them and label them as the whole of our lives. We limit ourselves. Each day, possibilities are presented to us. Take time to pour over them and dream of them. Some prices may be beyond your present means to accomplish, but you can take incremental steps towards purchase. You can picture yourself in the possibility.
Some of the fantasies in a day will fade; however, others will persist. We will find ourselves pouring over them time and time again. We need to take a daily step towards them. Life’s possibilities are greater than the seemingly countless items in the former thick Sears Roebuck Catalog or on Amazon today. In each day, there are numerous pages to explore and items/dreams to be considered. Make time to drool over them.
Reflections
Over the next 6 days, jot down ideas that present themselves to you. They can be about how, when to do something, a business venture, a relational matter, an insight about something. Write them down. Do not make a judgement about them (too hard, need support, need resources, etc.). Just make a note of them. On the seventh day, just read over them and see what still tugs at your heart, what captures your imagination. Write what the dream is. Describe it. How much will it cost you? Why do you want it? The point is to look again at the fantasies, dreams, insights of the past 6 days to see if there are those that you want to pursue with enthusiasm, even passion. If you want it begin to fill out the order form in your life.
Dorothy Watson Tatem, D.Min., ACC
Senior Associate
Next Step Associates, LLC
Cassandra W. Jones, Ed.D.
CEO & President
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