My​ ​object,​ ​an​ ​embroidered​ ​pillow​ ​my​ ​grandmother​ ​made​ ​for​ ​me​ ​when​ ​I​ ​was​ ​born,​ ​is​ ​very special​ ​to​ ​me.​ There​ ​are​ ​dogs on it.​ When​ ​I​ ​was​ ​only​ ​two​ ​years​ ​old,​ ​my​ ​grandmother​ ​died​ ​of​ ​a​ ​heart​ ​attack.​ This​ ​pillow​ is ​the​ ​only​ ​things​ ​I​ ​have​ ​left​ ​of ​her.​ ​My​ ​grandmother learned​ ​to​ ​embroider​ ​from​ ​her​ ​Scottish​ ​mother​ ​and​ ​English​ ​father.​ ​In​ ​1950, ​after​ ​they​ ​got​ ​married, they​ ​moved​ ​to​ ​Toronto,​ ​Canada,​ ​because​ ​it​ ​was​ ​also​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​British​ Commonwealth.​ ​A​ ​few years​ ​later,​ ​when​ ​she​ ​was​ ​no​ ​more​ ​than​ ​six,​ ​she​ ​moved​ ​to​ ​Buffalo,​ ​New​ York.​ ​She​ ​finally​ ​moved to​ ​New​ ​Jersey,​ ​where​ ​she​ ​settled​ ​down,​ ​got​ ​married​ ​and​ ​had​ ​my​ ​mom,​ her​ ​brother,​ ​and​ ​her​ ​sister. She​ ​was​ ​only​ ​alive​ ​to​ ​see​ ​two​ ​of​ ​her​ ​grandchildren,​ ​me​ ​and​ ​my​ brother,​ ​but​ ​she​ ​loved​ ​us​ ​both​ ​so much.​ ​She​ ​embroidered​ ​dogs​ ​on​ ​the​ ​pillow​ ​because​ ​she​ ​and​ my​ ​grandfather​ ​both loved​ ​dogs.​ ​They bred​ ​Welsh​ ​Springer​ ​Spaniels,​ one of which won Best in Breed at the Westminster Dog Show, ​which​ ​is​ ​why​ ​I​ ​have​ ​one​ now.​ ​When​ ​I​ ​look​ ​at​ ​this​ ​pillow,​ ​it​ ​reminds me​ ​of​ ​unconditional​ ​love​ ​and​ ​kindness,​ ​selflessness,​ and​ ​a​ ​warmth​ ​that​ ​stretches​ ​out​ ​to​ ​everyone everywhere,​ ​the​ ​qualities​ ​that​ ​she​ ​embodied​ ​so​ well.

– Nathan Ben-Ur

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant