Lisa at b’gifted had the idea of compiling 5 “things” that matter most to you. When you look around your home, pick out what you feel is most important. It was pretty rewarding to pull together 5 “things” that matter most to me. Especially as we get more materialistic with the latest technology and trends, it’s important to think about what really matters, even when it comes to “things”.

• Letters from War

Perhaps my most important possession is a wood chest full of letters my Grandfather wrote during World War II. He wrote dozens of notes that give a fascinating glimpse into his time in Europe. While some are letters he clearly wrote just to pass the time, others describe his visit to see his brother’s grave in France, or his travels after the war to some of the most beautiful places in Europe. I’ve spent days reading these letters, and I still have more to go.

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• The Family Cabin

My dream for years has been to have a family cabin in the Alleghenies. When my grandmother recently passed away, my cousin and I spent hours going through old family pictures and papers spanning more than 120 years. One of our discoveries was pictures and a deed for a family cabin that was sold in the 1950’s. I hope this cabin still exists somewhere in Forest County… and I plan on finding out.

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• Grampy’s childhood bible

My other grandfather had a pocket bible that he wrote his name in when he was 8 years old, in 1935. Leather-bound and well used, I can picture him as a child carrying this everywhere he went.

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• From Africa

In 2003 I took a mission trip to Africa that changed my life. I met some of the most incredibly genuine people, and many of them are still my friends today. At Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, I had the chance to buy souvenirs from the trip. My favorite is a sable horn (type of antelope), with Africa’s “big 5” animals hand-carved into it. I’m told the horn was naturally shed, so I choose to believe that. If you ever get a chance to go to Africa, DO NOT pass it up.

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• Antique book with Grove City ties

I love history and I love old books. The Tragedy of Paotingfu was an exciting find for me. Written by Grove City College founder, Isaac Ketler, it’s a true story about his niece and family who where missionaries from Grove City. They were a few of the 200 missionaries killed during the Boxer Rebellion, which was an uprising in China from 1899-1901. While the content is quite dark, I love having an old book that isn’t just for show.

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• What are your favorite 5 things? Take a picture, write about them. Email them to livingthegrove@gmail.com

by Alex DeGroff