My family culture

As I thought about this assignment, my family culture, and the items I hold dear I actually spoke to my mom to ask what she thought. After listening to her suggestions, the three items I would take with me would be a lump of coal, a box of cornbread mix, and a country music cd. All of these items represent the southern lifestyle. My grandfather worked in the coal mines in West Virginia before moving his family to New Jersey. Not only does it represent where my family came from, but it could also be a source of heat for cooking or warmth. Cornbread, or any type of bread, was a staple on the dinner table no matter what dinner was growing up (in my grandparents’ house, not always in mine). Finally, country music is the genre I enjoy listening to, represents life in the south, and each song often tells a story or speaks to the heart of an important matter. If I got there and could only keep one item I would be additionally crushed but would either choose the coal for its many uses or the cornbread mix to insure I would have something to eat.

   I would not feel comfortable about moving to an unfamiliar territory, but just in the pretend sense I have a small inkling of how a child moving with his family to an unfamiliar area would feel. This exercise made me take a personal look at myself and my family and how much the southern lifestyle plays a role in the person I am. It also made me realize how often we as a society judge those around us based solely on what we see from the outside. Especially as educators teaching children about culture and diversity, but for all of us as a whole to improve the society in which we live, we must look beyond the cover of the book and read the story.