We posted catalyst thirty-three over at creative therapy. This week's catalyst is: If you had unlimited money to buy someone you know something, what would you buy and for whom?

Here are my thoughts:

This is one of the few catalysts that had me thinking for a long time. For some reason, I couldn’t come up with an answer. I thought and thought. Finally, as I was driving to work one morning, the answer hit me. I wanted to buy a bookstore, for me. Was it too selfish to use this money for myself? Maybe. But I decided that’s what my catalyst was going to be about anyway. Even if others think it’s selfish.

Years ago, I volunteered at this amazing bookstore in New York City. This store looked the way bookstores should look. It has wooden, spiral staircases. Tables everywhere for people to sit and browse. A little coffee shop in the back to relax and enjoy. Fantastic, knowledgeable staff. And some of the best speakers and authors came to read at the store. The best part was that the bookstore was completely non-profit. All the books were donated and all the proceeds went to this organization that provided shelter and aid to people who were affected by AIDS.

Ever since my years at that store, I’ve always wanted to have a nonprofit bookstore of my own. One full of used, donated books. One with a little coffee shop of its own. One with volunteers who love books as much as I do. One where people love to visit and where great authors come to read from their masterpieces. One where all the proceeds are donated across nonprofits. My passion is education so I would start by donating to nonprofits that favor education but my hope is that we can affect change in some way. Even if it’s a tiny one.