There are no rules about how to establish man-made memorials. They may come in different shapes and sizes. Really, all that is necessary is that whatever shape they take, they serve as a reminder. The picture to the left is of two briefcases that sit in my office. The bottom one, which has the initials, “A.H.” on it belonged to my granddad, and the one on the top with the initials, “F.H.” belonged to my dad.
For me, the picture to the left is a memorial, of sorts. These two briefcases sit in my office in plain view from my desk. My granddad served as an elder in the Lord’s church and was the County Assessor of Wetzel County, WV for 16 years. Granddad carried his briefcase to the courthouse with him every day. For years, my dad used his briefcase to carry his Bible and notes to the radio station for his daily radio program on WOHI. Inside dad’s briefcase is a handwritten outline of the last sermon he prepared for a lectureship he didn’t live long enough to deliver. Ironically, it is entitled, “Preparation for Death.”
To me, these briefcases serve as a daily reminder of my heritage, the brevity of life, and the work that every generation has to do. Assuming that if the natural order of events occurs, my son will add another briefcase to this stack. And when that time comes, I hope they will serve to motivate him as much as they have helped to motivate me.