Saturday, July 11, 2009

Pascal

Tokens"
Every person has his or her little aspirational markers of success. You might say "I want to be wealthy enough to X" or "I’ll have made it when I can do Y whenever I want."

My mom’s token of financial security is to keep several cartons of ice cream in the freezer at all times. Not for eating, necessarily, but because they symbolize abundance to her.

My token is to one day have enough good-quality clothes to be able to choose exactly what I want to wear based not on weather, circumstance or durability but on style. I want to have many possible items to wear instead of two on a given day. (This is just a token.)
-Magic Molly

I’m not sure if this follows her definition, but my token is art. This possibly sounds a little pretentious but please don’t take it as thus. I’m not meaning this in the sense of creating it, but more along the lines that someday I’ll be financially stable enough to display original pieces of artwork on my walls (Not famous masterpieces or works by masters, but just artwork I like and maybe some from my “are so talented that they will be famous someday” friends?) and be able to visit all of the museums/ monumental edifices I would like.

In every material sense of the word as possible, what is your “token” of success?

5 comments:

Harpski said...

I love this. I totally know what you mean.
I think my tokens of success would be:
* when I could have money in the bank that I didn't have plans for in the next several months.
* when I am completely happy and stress free
* When I am able to stop wanting and start giving.

Leah said...

Ugh. Sorrrry if this showed up on the top of your blog roll again everyone (I'm not positive this happens when you repost, but I am thinking maybe it does and just thinking maybe it does is making me embarrassed).
And no one's probably not reading this apology note anyway. But really, I have a problem. If I see an error I must fix it! I tried my best to grin and bear it, but alas it was to no avail. So now you get this. A rambling note from me.
Love.

monica said...

i think if you just edit your post instead of deleting and starting again, it wont show up again on "blog roll"/reader.

i love yours and harpers..and your moms...and magic molly.

*i think a token of success is
when i do something brave, something i wouldn't normally do. i make too many decisions based on fear, so when i brave the fears i feel success.
*when i help an elderly person. i love the elderly almost as much as i love childen. when i help them in anyway, i feel so good inside and that i have done something important.
*when i chose to give something i love away to someone else who loves it.

i dont know if those are "tokens" but they are things that i feel if i have done that day then that day is a success.

Myke said...

Wait, I thought this was just supposed to be material goods?

-A sick array of guitars and basses.

-A couple of vintage tube record players and an impressive LP collection to match.

-And a pair of Neil Diamond's blue jeans as a humble reminder that "Money talks but it don't sing and dance and it don't walk."

Leah said...

Yes, Myke you read my question correctly. I was starting to feel pretty terrible for talking about money and material things while Harp and Monica spoke of serving and caring for others. But that was afterall my question, so thank you. (P.S. It's ok. I enjoyed reading your comments anyway girls!)

Also, just to be clear everything in italics is from Magic Molly. I know it's deceiving because some of the text is smaller; however I meant for it to all be the same size. So she is talking about her mother owning all the ice cream, not my mom.