"If your house were on fire, what would you grab on the way out?"
When I first started teaching, it was drilled in our heads that if we lost our grade books, we would lose our jobs. Any time I left my classroom, I took my gradebook. It went everywhere with me, even the restroom!
Years ago, our house caught on fire in the middle of the night. While my husband ran around cutting off the breakers, I collected important things and left the house. The oil furnace caught on fire and the fire department put out the fire quickly. When they left, we stood in the driveway looking at each other, thankful that we just had smoke damage in the house. My husband asked me what I grabbed on the way out and the only things I had were my dog and my gradebook! For many years, that has been a standing joke.
Now that we are Red Cross volunteers, we have helped needy families and know what documentation is needed to get help.
Now I know that if we had a house fire, here are the things I would grab:
My purse which holds my driver’s license (which is proof of address), credit card, and check book.
My laptop.
My husband’s medicine bag.
As long as I have these three things, all other things in the house are sentimental. I would hope that we don’t lose them in a fire, but I could live easily without them.
I know that I have too many “things” that I think I value but when it comes right down to it, I value them because they make my life fun or comfortable. Yet many of the things I own are not necessary. They are true luxuries.
By thinking about these things, I really appreciate what I have more.
This would be a great lesson for our students to do. It would be interesting to see what things our students value most. I would have them list the things they would grab and give an explanation why these things are important to them.
What would you grab if your house was on fire and why?
Image: 'Neighbor's House on Fire'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47346767@N00/3030450667
Found on flickrcc.net
1 comment:
Interesting question, Pat. I have some photos of my birth mother that are irreplaceable and are also hung close to the front door.
Of course, the dogs would be taken out first. ;)
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