This is my maternal grandfathers Om chain that he wore when he was a teenager living in Goa, India. He was the oldest of 10 brothers and sisters and took care of them when his parents passed away. He came to the US with 6 dollars and faced many difficulties as a foreign medical student in the US. Through hard work and perseverance, he was able to establish himself as a successful radiologist. Through that hard work he was able to give my mom a good life and instill the values of discipline, resilience and hard work in her. In addition to those values, he passed down this chain to her to eventually pass down to her son. Luckily, I was able to inherit his chain and I try to practice the values associated with him. The Om is the sacred sound in Hinduism and is also considered the most powerful sound because it represents the essence of the entire universe. While I am not devoutly Hindu, the Om chain is special to me because it reminds me of the values of my Grandfather and gives me a connection to my Hindu heritage. 
 

– AB

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