I probably couldn’t live without the lucky silver cross dangling from my rearview mirror in my car. Three generations of good luck enclosed in less than a gram of silver. My grandpa gave it to me when I first got my license. He told me, “You never take this off your mirror, because when it’s up there, God is with you.” I told him that I would never take it down, and I’ve never forgotten that. I hear those words dangling in my ear, just like the cross, each and every time I get into the driver’s seat of my car.

Before me, my mom had it. I’m not the best driver; I’ve already rear-ended somebody and have had other close calls, so I need all the luck I can get on the road. And, since I drive every day, I figure this would be a pretty valuable item to live with. That cross has been with me for all the mistakes I’ve made driving: including the red lights I’ve nearly run on accident; the accident I’ve been in, where I rear-ended a Jeep and broke my hood latch, which resulted in the hood flying up; and the entire learning-to-drive process. The cross has been a companion on long road trips for baseball, every ride to school, and every ride to work.

It’s a symbol of my family, our strength, and our resilience, and it connects me to the past while guiding me on the unpredictable road ahead. It signifies freedom, but also responsibility, and it keeps me accountable. So I would say that I probably couldn’t drive, much less live without the cross on the string, dangling from my rearview mirror.