My Family Culture

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.

    The three items I would take with me would be…

1.       Bible

2.      Family photo album

3.      Family recipes

    Each of these items are extremely special, valuable, and important to me and my culture, and if I had to explain what each meant to me I would simply state the obvious.  The bible by far would easily be explained as my source of comfort and faith.  It has kept me going through the toughest of times. It has allowed me to see the beauty and feel the peace in the simplest times.  My family photo album would show my ever growing family and how it has evolved over the years.  The pictures would be an easy way to show what moments of happiness, celebration, sadness, love, togetherness, and sadness were like in my family and how they were shared.  Last, but most certainly not least I would explain that my family recipes was the glue that brought my family together during the good times and the bad times.  Food comforted us during the most difficult of times, filled our bellies and brightened out smiles during the good times. It was the meals that brought us together to share what we know as our culture, love, and faith. 

    If upon arrival I was told that I could only keep one personal item and had to give up the other two items, I would without hesitation take my bible.  Of course, I would be heartbroken about leaving my pictures and recipes behind, but my bible as I mentioned before is the source of my comfort.  Not knowing where I am going or what my fate will be.  I want to make sure that my bible is by my side to remind me to lift my spirits and guide me in the choices I make. 

   I did gain some insights as a result of this exercise.  I definitely took a few days to ponder what items I would bring with me in the event of a catastrophic even in my country.  The first on my list was my bible because even today I rely on it to teach me to lead, to love openly, and how to keep order in my life.  Yet, beyond that I realized that no matter where we go or who we are or what we bring, we take a part of our culture and history with us.  I am my culture and my culture is me.  My culture is the food, spices, and sweets I eat, my faith, and my family!