Family Heirlooms have a tradition that families practice when a new generation comes along. For many young men and women who have finally entered the stage of maturity, their parents present them with a small gift to signify the transition into their next stage of life. The stages of life can be an event such as a wedding, newborn child, graduation of college, or even growing to be a certain age. Family heirlooms can come in all shapes and sizes. Men and women both tend to inherit items such as jewelry, toys, wedding dresses, vanities, and the list goes on. These objects are often seen as talismans to families because of the memories they hold. Family heirlooms connect our current selves to our past ancestors. The knowledge of the roots of
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Personally on my mother’s side, there is a very strong Native American background. When the family heirloom has been passed to the next youngest child, it represents the native roots my ancestors established and the growing of the family line. The stories are retold and are relived throughout the younger generations. They are not forgotten which teaches us where our roots first started. This is so empowering to me even if I haven’t received the family heirloom because it gives me a sense of belonging somewhere in history. It establishes my family history within time itself and gives me a sense of belonging. To know that my ancestors lived in history and even everything that has led up to me existing today is such an immense feeling that I am here for a …show more content…
Many memories and stories that are chock full of good and bad emotions embody the idea that these objects represent. To someone that was once close to their deceased family member, these objects can bring back memories that they once shared. Or even to the people who use these objects to look back to a time of simpler days. The memories and emotions will always be irreplaceable for they are so rare and can never be replicated. As Howard Bennett concludes in his essay, “They are replaceable; the brush and the memories it contains are not” (30). To give an example of this I would like to recall back to my personal experience. Even if it isn’t a family heirloom, I still hold a certain picture of my friends close to me. It reminds me of a happier time when everyone was always happy with our random shenanigans. Even the same for Bennett’s father, “My dad had shown me the brush many times, using it as a trigger to tell me stories of his childhood” (29). Bennett even tells stories to his children “As my dad told me, I told my sons about fighting my way to school through snowdrifts that towered over my head; about the girl I fell in love with in first grade: about being chased by the police for what I thought was a minor infraction” (29). The stories bring about a much simpler time where Bennett and his father were able to look back and reminisce
Personally on my mother’s side, there is a very strong Native American background. When the family heirloom has been passed to the next youngest child, it represents the native roots my ancestors established and the growing of the family line. The stories are retold and are relived throughout the younger generations. They are not forgotten which teaches us where our roots first started. This is so empowering to me even if I haven’t received the family heirloom because it gives me a sense of belonging somewhere in history. It establishes my family history within time itself and gives me a sense of belonging. To know that my ancestors lived in history and even everything that has led up to me existing today is such an immense feeling that I am here for a …show more content…
Many memories and stories that are chock full of good and bad emotions embody the idea that these objects represent. To someone that was once close to their deceased family member, these objects can bring back memories that they once shared. Or even to the people who use these objects to look back to a time of simpler days. The memories and emotions will always be irreplaceable for they are so rare and can never be replicated. As Howard Bennett concludes in his essay, “They are replaceable; the brush and the memories it contains are not” (30). To give an example of this I would like to recall back to my personal experience. Even if it isn’t a family heirloom, I still hold a certain picture of my friends close to me. It reminds me of a happier time when everyone was always happy with our random shenanigans. Even the same for Bennett’s father, “My dad had shown me the brush many times, using it as a trigger to tell me stories of his childhood” (29). Bennett even tells stories to his children “As my dad told me, I told my sons about fighting my way to school through snowdrifts that towered over my head; about the girl I fell in love with in first grade: about being chased by the police for what I thought was a minor infraction” (29). The stories bring about a much simpler time where Bennett and his father were able to look back and reminisce