Imagine the following:
A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture.
As I look back and contemplate over a few things that are important to me and my family, I quickly realize that I hold a lot of things about my culture and my family in my heart. However, I do have a cross that my grandmother made for me that I treasure. Once I began driving at the age of 16, she told me to always keep the cross with me. She explained that the cross will resemble Christ and that I should walk a Christian walk. My grandmother passes away December 2008. The cross is hanging in my car on the review mirror. This will definitely be the first item.
The second item would be a scrapbook that I created a few months ago. This scrapbook is titled, "All About Me". I have pictures of almost all of my family members and poems that I wrote during different times of my life. This will constantly remind me of my family and all of the good times that we shared.
The third item would be a necklace that my husband had made for us after he returned from Iraq. The necklace has a picture of my daughter, my husband, and I. This was the very first picture that we took as a family of three. Our baby was 6 months old and it was the very first time that he had ever seen or touched her.
If I arrived and was told that I could only carry one item along, I would insert the necklace and the cross in my scrapbook. I almost feel as though there is no way possible that I could intentionally leave two of the items behind. I mentioned earlier that I hold a lot of thing in my heart. However, being able to see and hold things rekindle the flames and makes life a little easier to hold on.
I have learned that family and family culture is a way of living. In my opinion, without my family and the things that we share, I have nothing. This has made it easier for me to ensure that all of the children that I serve always hold their family and their family culture with them.
You're right, where would we be without family!
ReplyDeleteAs I read your post I am reminded of a somewhat tattered set of napkins that I continue to use and refuse to get rid of: I made them for my grandmother the Christmas she died - I never got to give them to her.
It's funny how out of the many items that I have of hers, those seem to hold the most love.
Hi Katrina,
ReplyDeleteI like what you said, "family culture is a way of living". It is our identity and when that is taken away or not accepted then we have nothing. I also feel that it is important for the children and families in our programs to see that we want to know more about their family culture and that it is a valued part of them in our classrooms.