Inventory / The Tokens
Response to Christopher Turner’s Article

This article reveals the hidden meaning even small or otherwise common objects can have embedded within them. The article ties in to our discussion of souvenirs and mementoes that can have unseen meaning behind them depending on the experience the owner associates with it. For example, the article discusses a very interesting and touching use of mementoes adopted by mothers wishing to one day reclaim their child if their circumstances were to change. To one day reclaim your child by showing them the other half of an object broken in two would truly create an unforgettable moment. It does not matter whether it is a pocket watch or a padlock, items can represent anything from ancestry to a notable event. Objects are simply placeholders for emotions, ideas, experiences, and so many more intangible creations. For the children that were lucky enough to receive a token from their mother, that object must have in part defined them. It provided them with a physical reminder that there was someone out in the world who did care about them and hoped to one day return or at least tell them where they came from. These reminders guide our actions and our personalities by providing us with the ground work of who we are as people. We all try to be our own person, an individual, but we all at one time or another seem to cling to something we inherited to help define us. The deeds of past family members, where we grew up, and other such experience are our jumping off point to create experiences for ourselves which will in turn inspire others.