VINTAGE VOICES: It's not too late to 'push record'

It’s not too late to ‘push record’

Changing Our Perception of History

As a public historian, I often hear people say, “I wish I would have recording my loved one’s stories, but they are so forgetful that it’s too late now.” The other common grievance I hear is: “I wish I would have thought to record my parents or grandparents before they passed away. Now that history is gone.” My response to each of these statements is: I respectfully disagree, it’s not entirely lost. It is merely a change in perception that will help us see these “grievances” in a new light. My goal with today’s column is to give readers a different perspective on capturing the history that surrounds us and inspire readers to “push record”.

I have recently partnered with Auburn Crest Hospice in Coeur d’Alene to provide a family history service to patients and their families. This service enables families to use this time together to record family memories that they can hold onto long after their loved one has departed this world. While each family history is uniquely captured, the service usually centers on oral history, but often not in the traditional sense of the practice.

Patients enter hospice care at varied levels of physical ability and mindfulness. Some are still quite mentally sharp and will gladly entertain an hour-long interview while others are no longer well enough to interact at that level. When I provide consultation to the families of the latter, I help them see this time in a new light, as an opportunity. Although the patient may not be able to tell their life story in one sitting, we can still capture their essence through video or audio recording.

By essence, I mean their expressions, their sense of humor, their smile, their concerns, the tone of their voice, the style of their clothes, the way they carry themselves or their walk. This is historical information in itself. Wouldn’t you have been curious to see your ancestors captured on video, just to get a glimpse of who they were? With the recording technology at our fingertips, our descendants can get a glimpse of the personalities of their ancestors. All it takes is permission from the loved one to “push record” during your interactions, the history will tell itself.

For those who say it is too late because their parents or grandparents have already passed away…the buck can stop with you. The stories of your parents and grandparents are preserved in your memory and are instilled in who you are as an individual and as a member of your family. The details may be a bit fuzzy, but you have the gist of it. Your descendants won’t even have that much knowledge of these ancestors because they didn’t get to know them personally.

With each generation, details of stories become muddled or lost until the stories are forgotten altogether, like a generational game of Telephone. Even if you don’t tell it exactly like Grandpa would have, you can still “push record” and recite what you do remember with the disclaimer that the information is second-hand. At least, the details won’t be blurred past your generation because the recording will not change.

In the words of the historian, Carl Becker, in order to change our perception of capturing history, we must “reduce it to its lowest terms”…we are preserving a moment or story in the present so it can be experienced by those in the future. Remember to enjoy the journey!

Please reach out to me through my website if you have any questions: www.sarajaneruggles.com.