Meaningful Memories
Each and every person on planet Earth has a valuable possession, from the simplest, to the most complex. The most common, to the rarest. It has value to us, whether it was given to us by our ancestors, or a close friend or a family member. We care deeply for these items. My most prized possession is a 14kt gold necklace from Zales that my father gave me when he first legally adopted me. It’s heart shaped with pink rhinestones on it. I remember that day like it was yesterday. My father gave it to me at the after-party along with a card that I still have to this day. It meant a lot to me because he proved to me that he wanted me to be a part of his family's history. I felt needed, loved and wanted. In the card he wrote that he chose to love me. He said that I was very special to him and that I will never be alone. My mother met my father at  church. My mother was  single, I was an eight month old. He says that he fell for my mother, but if it wasn’t for me being cradled in my mother’s arms, he would never have noticed her. Nine years later, I finally became a Bautista. I will carry this necklace with me through my journey in life. It gives me a daily reminder that I am never alone. 

– Ciara B.

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