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OUAT Blog for July 4th

Eat, drink and make merry this 4th of July!  Many of us can think back to our childhood to fireworks, cookout's, beaches, lakes and many other memories we celebrated with siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, parents and grandparents on Independence Day.  Right? One of the hallmarks of the summer season is this "Lipton Ice Tea Plunge" time of year when we literally went outside to have FUN!  However, as some of us have gotten older and started to look into the meaning behind the holiday, it suddenly got a little complicated, depending on your point of view.

As an African American and a member of the First Nation of the Tuscarora Indians I can fully appreciate that on July 4th, 1776 a sizeable portion of my ancestors who happened to be here and had any part in the revolutionary war did so under very "interesting" circumstances. Notwithstanding that in short order, the legalization of slave labor marking the mass importation of African men, women and children against their will to the newly liberated former colonies, would set in motion a social direction that our country, to this day, has struggled to come to terms with.  Not to mention the geocide and near extermination of native tribes throughout the former colonies, which is still a blithe on the consciousness of this country.

Today's blog, however, is not about uncovering uncomfortable and unpleasant truths behind this national holiday, it is  about understanding, yet again, the importance of coming to terms with what is the actual origin story of our nation and how we individually play a part in that story today. Likewise, it is also about the attitude we have in celebrating this holiday with our friends, families and loved ones and the story we frame for future generations to come.

As I stated in my opening, I recall many a firework display and an endless stream of those glittery sparkling sticks.  The notion that the idea of an independent and free country would be able to celebrate its freedoms collectively is a good notion, a good thing. Whether we can actually pull it off in this current climate of constant terror threats and pending, looming fear is another challenge altogether, depending on your politics and attitude.

For my part, I would hope that the memories I have of the free, friendly, family and community celebrations of my youth will be passed on to my daughter for her to share with her children in the years to come.  I hope that the readers of this blog would want to pass along the same, if not similar experiences for their children, their neighbors children and extended families, to expand the narrative that TODAY we are a nation of diverse people who have one key thing in common, a celebration of freedom and hope for a brighter, brilliant future.

If you can, spend time with a young person today, planting a positive memory that he or she will want to share when they get to be your age. Remember that we were all children once, running, playing and having fun. Keep in mind also that today’s children will one day be tomorrow’s adults and they will take our place sharing their stories about us, to their children and to the generations to come.

The "C" Word Conversation

Last week I had one of those rare moments when I found myself totally preoccupied with something OTHER than what I should have been paying closer attention to... my Dad.

One of the major catalysts behind the creation of OUAT is my father. His backstory of being born and left behind as an orphan in post WWII Germany, and his desire to video document his story is what has become the foundation for my company and is at the heart of its mission.

Several years ago my father was diagnosed with 2nd stage colon cancer. We never really talked in detail about his experience. We talked about the procedure, the recovery and how fortunate he was that all the cancer cells had been removed and that today he is cancer free. So, it was out of the blue that he had this desire to share with me more details about his thoughts, his fears, his regrets and most importantly, his wish that I be be informed "just in case" I was ever faced with the same situation when I got older.

As I reflect on this conversation with my dad, I am reminded just how important it is to take the time to pay attention and fight distractions when our parents are trying to impart something to us, no matter how grown we think we are or how much we think we know.

OUAT is a "change agent" and creates a positive experience for my clients through recording and documenting these moments. Collectively we share experiences that will continue to positively impact our families, our communities and our world. And it all starts with listening and sharing.

Me, Ryan Heathcock, with my dad Virgil Johannes "Kirmess" Heathcock (cancer survivor)

Langobardenstraße, Munich, Germany 2008

Our Life In Pictures

As a personal historian I spend a great deal of time thinking and reflecting on the impact of the men and women who came before me who have made tangible contributions that have touched my life directly and indirectly.

I recently attended a funeral of a someone who lived a remarkable life. Watching her "Memorial Video" made the experience of celebrating her life all the more personal and offered an even deeper insight into who she was beyond my casual "hello" at church on Sunday mornings. 

To look into someone's life, see their childhood, watch them grow into adulthood, see them marry, witness their children grow to adulthood- all these things and more, was truly a beautiful experience and one that touched me deeply.  And so this experience gave me pause to consider what "To Live" means to me? What do the pictures of my life reflect? What memories will I leave behind for others to share on my behalf?  What am I doing now that will be remembered when I am gone?

To quote the cliche, "Life is short, live it to the fullest", seems a tremendous understatement this holiday season, yet it seems all the more pertinent for me, as I consider the past 48 hours; one funeral, one resurrection observation and one lasting message... each of us has something valuable to offer to the world, including me... time to get to work, time to make a difference.

Ryan J. Heathcock

Once Upon A Time

"Recording your story in your own words for the generations to come."

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Once upon a time….

It was at my cousin’s funeral…

My cousin Jeanne Jarvis, wife of more than 50 years to Norman Jarvis was laid to rest in Washington, DC in February 2015.  Her husband for more than 45 years, Norman Jarvis, preceded her in death by just 6 weeks.

In 2008 I was researching my dad’s genealogy and I sat down with Norman to ask him about his family history and how he and Jeanne came to live with my dad and grandmother after her husbands untimely passing in 1960. You see, my dad’s story began in Southern Germany in 1946 where he was born to a German woman, but was taken to an orphanage for post war children.  He was later adopted and brought to the US by a upper middle class African American family in Washington, DC in 1952.  But this particular story for another time; the focus here stays with my cousin Norman and our conversation in 2008.

During the course of our “recorded” conversation, Norman shared with me the history of the Jarvis family dating back to before the Civil War. When I shared the recording with his children, as they had not known he had made this recording, it was expressed to me then that what I had given them was the greatest gift possible being that in the last several years of Norman’s life he suffered from dementia and spoke little to not at all. Now, the family has his personality and words recorded for all time to share not only in his memory but his legacy and the legacy of their family that will now be passed on to future generations.

I use this story as the starting point for sharing with you in this Blog what Once Upon a Time is truly all about and why I work with individuals and organizations to preserve and to pass down their history for future generations. I always say to my clients,  “Don’t allow others to tell your story for you, tell your story in your own words while you can.”