Sunday, March 31, 2013

How to Make Sense of Life?



Consider the following passage:

“She never did decide (on joining a church).  She did develop a terrific hankering for a crucifix, though.  And she bought one from a Santa Fe gift shop during a trip the little family made out West during the Great Depression.  Like so many Americans, she was trying to construct a life that made sense from things she found in gift shops.”  Slaughterhouse-Five, pg. 49

The image above is an ornament that I bought to hang on my family Christmas tree back home in California.  Now, I admit to buying items in a gift shop, but I do so to add meaning to my life, not to construct it.  For me, souvenirs are tangible representations of memories.  When I go to a gift shop, I buy a small trinket to remind me of where I have been and what I have done.
The Horned Frog ornament is not just a reminder; I already know that I go to TCU.  It adds meaning to my life because my family has a tradition of decorating our tree with ornaments that represent places we have been and/or significant moments in our lives.  For example, we have ornaments from the Bahamas, Hawaii, and Canada.  We also have an ornament that my parents received for their one-year anniversary.  Ornaments are much more than pretty objects on a Christmas tree; they are lovely reminders of things to be grateful for in a blessed life.

Also, don’t forget to check out my other group members’ blogs!

No comments:

Post a Comment