Sense of Responsibility
As the person began to go through the box, a sense of responsibility came alive in them. These objects—photos, letters, trinkets—were so much more than historical artifacts; they were connected to an entire narrative that should be remembered. The unearthing of the box had awakened something inside that individual, a need to conserve and pay tribute to the memories inside.
Now, the individual knew he was entrusted with that box, maybe by some blind destiny, but definitely by design, to care and foster life into its contents. He had to share the stories, pass on memories, and make sure the people in the photographs and letters would be remembered to live on. They owed it to themselves and future generations to preserve these treasures; they owed it to their people, the stories, and the lessons of the past.
This sense of responsibility had, of course, made the person reflect on her or his legacy. What would people in the future find when they opened their closets, their drawers, or their own boxes? Would it be their memories that were preserved or lost in time? The discovery had ignited a desire to make sure that their own memories, their own stories, would be remembered, just as the stories of those who had come before them were now being honored.
