What's in your box? What would you put in mine?

Ilan Ramon was tragically killed in the crash of the space shuttle Columbia on 1/2/03 and the remains of the 7 crew were found in Hemphill, Texas. I visited the NASA museum, which was built and is maintained by locals. One of the seven crew is Ilan Ramon, an Israeli scientist who was among those who died that day.

At the little museum, which is little more than a single lounge room, and looked like a professional science project, I was struck by the locker-sized memorials. set up by relatives of the crew. Here's a photo of Ilan's memorial, with items sent by his wife from Israel, and although she has never made it to Texas to see it, it reflects what she wants to say about his life.

So, as you might imagine, this got me thinking. What would be in my box? What would I want for the summary of my 60/70/80 years of life? Perhaps it's unfair to ask a relative to summarize my life. Perhaps it's unfair for me to depict myself, since we often get our own self-statements so wrong. But either way, at the end of my days, there will be opportunity for some to reflect, and make statements, or consider the one thing they might put in my box.

So today, I'm asking that question publicly. I'm wondering what you would put in my box if you had an opportunity. This is not morbid, but perhaps you think it is. I apologize if you think so.

Future King David said, "to (current King) Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be ..." (Recorded in 1 Kings chapter 18). What is my life? What is your life? Care to share a thought or two? More on monuments and memorials later.