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storytelling

Memory and Place: Your Childhood Geography Map

December 16, 2020

How often do we think about where we grew up and the geography of our neighborhoods? Do we consider how much geography shaped our family history narrative? Recently, I took some time to think about those questions and to reflect upon my childhood geography map. My Childhood Geography I was looking at a picture of[Read More]

1) name the steps in the change process; 2) relate them to the stages people go through in deciding to preserve life stories; and 3) give hints about how to recognize and work through each stage. Stage One: Pre-Contemplation…”What Are You Talking About?” Our culture is awash in storytelling and life preservation, from Story Corps -- to the Humans of New York Facebook page -- to the huge Roots Tech genealogy convention. Yet when someone’s son says, “Maybe we ought to tell the story of our family?” or a member of the local historical society says, “Maybe we ought to digitize those oral histories that are stored on crumbling paper in the back room…” a person may often say, “Our story is not very interesting,” or “We don’t have the money to digitize those records,” or “I don’t have the time.” This is what is called the Pre-Contemplation Stage. In the Pre-Contemplation Stage everyone can see that there is a need but the person with the need can’t see it, or doesn’t think it applies to them. How do you help people move out of this stage? Raise Consciousness, Educate, Inform! Since you are reading this blog, you are most likely not in pre-contemplation, but you probably know someone who is -- a family member, a business associate, a friend, maybe even the Board member of your local historical society. Here are some steps you can take to raise awareness DO: 1. Cite facts: List the variety of benefits derived from preserving their life histories. (Most people in pre-contemplation have never even considered them as personally relevant.) 2. Share the positive changes that came into your own life as a result of creating a personal history. You can also listen to our current podcast to hear how one Personal Historian’s life changed as a result of her family journey. …or watch an episode of Henry Louis Gates’ show, “Finding Your Roots.” 3. Point out some of the consequences of failing to preserve lives, e.g., “I wish I knew what mom thought about my dad’s years in the CIA,” or “I’ll never be able to find out more about mom’s time as a missionary in Laos,” or “I think those are my great uncles, but grandma is dead and there’s no legend on the back of the photo.” DON’T 1. …try to move the person along too fast. You are not trying to get the person to act at this stage—they are not ready-- you are helping to raise their awareness. 2. …be discouraged if it takes a while…even if you feel an urgency, the desire to proceed needs to come from within. If it doesn’t it won’t sustain and the project will never start or it will feel like it’s your project, instead of theirs. Are you a professional personal historian? This may help you understand why we often experience such long lead times between the first contact and the initiation of a project. Do you know someone who would benefit from doing a Personal History? Learning the stages involved in choosing and changing may provide insight into the complexity of the process. Look around you this week. How many people do you see who are still in the pre-contemplation stage of doing a personal history? Please share what you discover with us. Next Week: Stage 2: Contemplation: “Hmmm….”

Making Choices & Personal History

April 13, 2016

Stumbling Into Paradise A Personal History Short By Pam Pacelli Cooper President, Verissima Productions I don’t love freeways. And we were tired after a month of exacting work. So I asked Rob, my husband and partner, if we could exit the California 101 and travel on a smaller, “blue” highway near Summerland. We pulled off and drove for a few miles before we saw what looked like the lot for an old gas station or shack, but instead of an entrance to a 711 we saw two gorgeous Indian statues. We had a mission and almost kept driving, but Rob said, “Did you see what I saw back there? Let’s go back and look.” I had seen it, but had been too schedule-bound to suggest we stop. Thanks to him, we stumbled into Paradise. The lovely entryway was only the beginning of our journey into a world of calm and healing just off the highway. The Sacred Space is deceptively small from the outside, but, once you enter, you come upon a warren of rooms, all tastefully furnished with artifacts from the East—jewelry, Buddhas, books, cards, and a dazzling array of minerals. The staff immediately offers water or tea. There is no pressure to buy and no overt religious message other than the message to relax and enjoy. We meandered through the many rooms, admiring the beauty and thinking we were done. Then, we looked through a doorway and found the gardens. Completely hidden from the road are two separate sets of gardens, with private and elegant places to sit and relax tucked away at several different levels, a pond, a small stream, miniature bridges and more statues. It is as if you were transported to a forest refuge in Thailand or India. After two hours we left, refreshed and grateful. I know, I know, some people have said, “Oh, it’s so California,” meaning that comment not entirely kindly. But…it is more than that. It was a journey into other lands and another mindset, and all because we decided to stop and look inside. Question: What special places have you discovered that have brought you into another, expanded sense of your world? Tip: If you’re anything like me, and love the side roads, you owe it to yourself to read William Least Heat Moon’s Blue Highways a classic of slow travel. See more about the Sacred Space including the story behind it: http://www.thesacredspace.com

Stumbling into Paradise: The Sacred Space

April 6, 2016

**Interested in reading Blue Highways? CLICK HERE to get a copy.

Orchids East and West: A Personal History Short Story

March 22, 2016

“Hamilton” the Musical makes History be Here and Now!

February 17, 2016

Who Lives? Who Dies? Who Tells Your Story?* “Hamilton,” a Personal History By Pam Pacelli Cooper President, Verissima Productions Click to listen to “Non-Stop” from Hamilton Click to listen to “Who Tells Your Story” from Hamilton

What’s the story?

November 5, 2015

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