My Family Culture

This writing assignment is interesting to me because the very idea came to me to evacuate Japanese citizens to anywhere in the world until their island was deemed safe from radiation after the extreme natural disasters they have experienced.  I am sure that there are many people that do not have even three personal items left after their homes washed away in the tsunami. I have also been acquainted with women who were driven out of their homes in Germany and Poland during World War II, who were not given any choice of what to take more than what they wore and what food they could stuff into their pockets. This situation has been real, and surely can be again. Given a choice and time to prepare, I would choose a Bible, and a small photo album of my immediate family. I cannot think of a third item worth taking. My family's culture is not represented in tangible items or costume. Christian principles are a way of living, and must be demonstrated. If I was as good at memorizing scripture as I should be, even toting the Book would not be necessary. My family who is not with me physically is in my heart and my memory. Loyalty to family and self-sufficiency are not represented in any form that can be tucked in a pocket or suitcase. I suppose that my family culture would be explained to others in my new home in much the same manner that most have dictated history, through the story-telling tradition. The artifacts of culture do not tell the story, the people do. And so this blog reminds us, as early childhood professionals, to listen to the child's story to know who they are, where they are from, and where they are going.