This whiskey flask has come to mean more to me than it once did. It doesn’t speak about my family’s story or history necessarily. However, it does make me think about my family’s future. The flask was given to me by my father. He received it as a wedding gift, but rarely used it. He gave it to me because he had no use for it and figured I’d like it as just a neat item to have since they aren’t all that common these days. For a while, that’s all it was. Recently though, my father had a significant health scare. Fortunately, he turned out okay and was able to recover relatively well. Some aspects of the event still persist, but he continues to improve and seems to have suffered minimal permanent damage if any. However, he has had to make some major lifestyle changes such as giving up alcohol. Every time I see the flask that he gave me, I’m reminded of this. I’m grateful that he turned out okay and is continuing to recover, but this was the first time I was really concerned that one of my parents’ life was in danger. Every time I look at the flask, I’m reminded that neither myself nor my parents are going to be around forever. This may sound grim, but I like to think of it in a positive way. None of us will be around forever, but it’s because we are only here for a short while that makes life so precious. As much as I don’t want my loved ones to go, the experiences we’ve had together are something I will always be able to cherish. This flask has now gone from being a trinket to being a symbol of mortality and a reminder to appreciate the time I have with my loved ones. 

– Tyler Harris

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more