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I asked the students to write on this prompt. Here is my response:

The first thing I would try to take with me more than anything else would be my guitar. Now some people may try to argue that the act of carrying a large wooden instrument goes against the criteria set in the prompt-what you could fit in a bag, but I would argue that I would bring the guitar and the guitar only, thus making the bag superfluous. Music is my life. I cannot and will not imagine a world where I am not either listening to or creating some type of music, and if I were to be in a situation where I would have to entertain myself for hours at a time, I could not think of a better tool than my trusty black Takamine acoustic guitar.

Whenever I am overstressed or life is getting to be a bit much, I simply sit on my couch pullout the ole six-string and let the vibrations of the strings soothe my soul. Lately, I have been playing for my baby daughter and she seems to be really enjoying it as well. So bringing the guitar would have a dual role when we were in hiding. The sad part is that I have been playing for over ten years, but I am not what most people would consider “good.” Sure I know the basic chords and my fingering is getting better every year, but I am not by any means a musician. You know the type: the person who comes into the room pulls out the guitar and starts singing beautifully. I am clumsy and shy and awkward with my instrument, but it is still my most trusty companion. I couldn’t imagine my life without it.

If denied my right to carry my guitar, or in addition to it, I would bring my journals, some pens, and my paints and canvases, because in addition to playing music I like to write as you can see. I also like to spend time drawing and/or painting although I am often much too busy these days. Finally I would grab my favorite books because there is nothing like spending hours lost in a good book.

I actually spent two years away from the world, not so much in hiding but doing volunteer work in Mozambique. I lived in this house:

for two years with no running water or electricity. But that is another post. I just wanted to state that these trusty tools: guitar, paints, books, and my writing helped keep me sane, that and these amazing views:

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