What would you take?

What do you take with you when you may never come back? When a hurricane approached one community, the evacuation order came. The locals had just a few hours to decide what to take with them as they fled for their lives. A couple of reporters from The Washington Post caught up with some of the evacuees afterwards. They asked them to show them the things they’d decided to take with them, and why.

Stephanie, age 33, took the ashes of her two deceased dogs, and some small antiques she’d collected.

Harvey, age 43, an artist, took his sketchbooks of design ideas.

Brianna, age 10, was given the job of rounding up the family cat. She succeeded. Then she packed her guitar and a few favorite books, too. She also brought her Pokémon card collection.

Josh, age 32, rescued his grandmother’s antique sewing table.

Teresa, age 61, carried out her Jack Russell Terrier, a few bags of clothes, and her mother’s ashes.

Lou, age 85, who immigrated to the United States, made sure to pack his old passport with the photo of himself as a young man. It was a link to an earlier time in his life.

Mary, age 44, brought an antique baby basket in which she and each of her sisters had once slept.

Joan, age 68, carried out her family photos.

What would you take if you had only a couple of hours to decide, and you knew you might never come back?

Shalom, Paul