My story is personal and real.  My object is a table; it was a present from my aunt to me.  The table is 100 years old or more, and my mother’s aunt’s husband made it.  It is a very significant piece for my family.  When I was young, about 13 or 14 years old, I liked the table.  I told my aunt, “When I get married, give it to me for my house.”  She looked at me and laughed.  Later, after coming to live in the USA, I got married.  When I visited The Dominican Republic with my family, I said to my aunt again, “Remember to give me the table.”  She responded the same way, she looked at me and laughed.  In 2004, I went back to my country, and I was in my mother’s family’s house, and my aunt told me to take the table.  “It’s yours. Take care of it.”  I was very happy because I loved this piece.  I don’t know why, but to me it it’s beautiful.  My cousin helped me to take it apart and put it in my suitcase.  My story is beautiful and sad, because a year after my aunt gave me the gift, she completely lost her memory, because she suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.  She was very special. Everyone in the family loved her.  

– Lourdes Rodriguez

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant