Only Three Things - My Family Culture

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.

The three items I would bring would be my wedding ring, a picture of extended family, and a hymnal. 

My wedding ring is very important to me and the culture of my family.  It not only reminds me of the commitment I made to my husband, but also lets the world know that my heart belongs to someone.  As an American, wedding rings are very culturally significant, so it would also be a reminder of my home.

I have always lived far away from extended family.  With a father in the Air Force, we were almost always several states away from grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Now, I can add to the list my brother and him family, as well as my husband’s brothers and their families.  Knowing that they would not be coming with me would possibly be the hardest thing about leaving.  Having only a picture would be awful, but if it was the only thing by which to remember their faces, I would take it. 

The final and most important item would be a hymnal.  I was raised in the church, and grew up singing and playing instruments.  I always felt closest to God through music.  It is for this reason that this choice was a hymnal, and not a bible.  Many hymns are based in scripture, so I would be able to have both scripture and music.  This is important to my family culture because church was always a family affair.  My entire family sings well, and church hymns are a thread that runs throughout the entire tapestry of my life.

 If, upon arrival to this unknown land, I was told I could only keep one item, I would keep the hymnal.  This would be tragic, and it would be very hard to decide.  I believe that there would be a way, once in the new location, that I could secure another ring to keep on my left ring finger to remind me of my family culture.  It might not even be made of metal, but my wedding ring isn’t about what it is made from – it’s about the symbolism.  The picture would also be extremely difficult to give up (I’d probably try to sneak it into the pages of the hymnal...ha!), but I know in my heart that I will see them all once again.  

I really hate having to think about scenarios like this.  Being in a strange country, not knowing the language is hard enough without adding the strain of not having much of your family or your possessions.