The "Disappearing Memories" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just finished reading in the Parade Magazine what Connie Schultz would carry with her if she needed to get out of her house very quickly and maybe never get back in again.  A special photo, an ID badge and a cookie jar were among the items she mentioned.  Then it struck me.  What would I do in the same situation.  What would you do if you had to flee your house and find it consumed in flames minutes later?  I walked from one room to the other and back again trying to decide what personal belongings I would take with me.  Better plan ahead just in case, but would I be too confused and stressed to remember exactly what they were if it every happened.  My list is probably what your list would be - personal items that have memories that could never be replaced.  My list would be: 

The first item is my favorite photo of Carol and me that was taken in Barbados.  I just love the way the waves are engulfing us and the composition that our friend Sue used when she snapped the photo.  Frame also is really neat.

Second item would be my large library of CDs that tell my life story.  All our recent trips, family get-together, and old time photos that I scanned and saved on CDs that can never be replaced.

Third item would be the binder that I keep all my Polaroid photos which I sell.  The film is no longer produced and I could never replace any of these.  They tell the history of Lancaster in a very different way.

Fourth item would be a small bound collection of handmade paper that my daughter Brynn made and attached "Fond Childhood Memories" in to it.  Photos of my three children as they were growing up with cute stories and captions she made for all the photos.  It is only about 12"x8" in size.  She gave it to me for Christmas 2000.  I would be heart-broken if I ever lost it.  As you notice, it is worn from being constantly used.  

Final item is my teacher's name badge.  It is old as can be and the plastic is breaking off, but I still use it when I visit the school district where I used to teach.  Now I do the in-house printing as well as the yearbooks.  Photo shows me with hair. More sentimental than useful though.

Well, that does it for me.  I have most of the items close to the bottom of the flight of steps in our house and could reach them in less than 30 seconds.  Think it is time for you to do the same?  As they say, "It's better to be safe than sorry."  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.