So, long ago and far away (otherwise known as 30 years ago at Almeda Mall), I was a seasonal employee at Foley’s, which involved wrapping more gifts than you’ll ever see. Why does a person wrap gifts in December at the mall? The stress is tremendous; customers are not happy with the gifts they’ve selected–the time, the cost, the item, the recipient–who knows? You learn to avoid their stress by avoiding their eyes, and you learn to be satisfied by the task, with your increasing speed, with the tidy beauties. Because you work at the mall in December because you are broke and you are hoping to be able to afford presents in December and food in the Spring Semester.

As I walked to the gift wrap department every day, I passed by the shoe department. There were these shoes that I wanted terribly. So did I have money for those shoes? No. Did I stop and look at them every day anyway? Yes. They were what I looked forward to when I went to work.

Eventually, I decided that I could afford the shoes. Gifts were already purchased; I had picked up a few hours here and there; I’d skipped a meal or two. So I finally tried them on. Imagine my disappointment. They were awful, or awful for me, anyway; maybe they were fine for someone else.

So what do we learn from this? Decide about whether something is possible, and act accordingly.

• Don’t walk past the shoe department. Why torment yourself? Don’t waste energy wanting anything that is truly out of bounds.
• Try the shoes on. Why wonder? Make sure you really want it before you sacrifice for it.

Does it sound like I’m lecturing you? No, I’m lecturing me.