What would you do if you lost all your possessions?

Popcorn is a favorite snack of mine. The smell of popcorn makes me want to watch 48-Hours, the True Crime Show. And, eating pistachios makes me think of The People’s Court. My husband and I went through a phase of popping popcorn and watching 48-Hours together weekly. When I was younger, I would watch The People’s Court, with Judge Joseph Wapner while shelling and snacking on pistachios. Those smells and tastes take me right back to those activities. Smells, sounds, music… all of it is connected to various memories in my life.

If I lost all of my possessions, I would feel sad about the loss of irreplaceable possessions, such as photos and journals. I would feel burdened by the need to replace some of the most important items, like birth certificates, SS cards, etc. Which reminds me, I was going to get a fireproof safe for those items. That needs to move to the top of the priority list of things to do this month. Good thing this was one of the writing prompt questions this month! If my husband reads this, maybe he will help remind us to purchase the fireproof safe for our important documents.

I have known people who have lost all of their possessions. My dad and his siblings when they were children returned from watching a movie at the “show house” only to find their house on fire. It was a total loss. Besides the entire family, thankfully, only a few possessions, including the family bible and several photographs, survived the fire. It was a difficult time for them. Grandma and Grandpa did not have insurance on the house, so they did not have the money to rebuild. Grandpa sold the land and they moved in with family in another town where they could make a fresh start.

As a child, my husband lived through the loss of their family home. It was a frightening night with a little humorous side story. His mom told him to hurry back to his room to wake up his brother, grab their coats and shoes, and run back her second-story bedroom where they would climb out onto the roof area through the window. That is not what he heard. He and his brother grabbed their COMBS and their shoes. They ran as fast as they could to their parents’ room and scurried out the window where the firetrucks began to arrive and helped them off the roof, just as the flames were beginning to dance around the roof’s edge. This was just before Christmas, which meant cold temperatures. My husband and his brother were a couple of very chilly boys with just their COMBS and their shoes and nothing over their pajamas to keep them warm on that awful winter night. They are lucky they survived the fire. Fortunately, his parents had insurance on the house, so they were able to rebuild.

Speaking of smell being connected to a memory. Both my husband and my dad said the smell of a burning house is not something you soon forget and are easily reminded of every time you smell smoke. I am grateful they are here and able to be triggeed by that memory.

My friend came home from work to find her home had been robbed. Anything of value was taken. In broad daylight. She felt violated because a stranger had been in her home rummaging through her things. It took a while for her to feel peaceful in her own home.

Possessions are replaceable, for the most part. Broken hearts heal. People are built to be resiliant.