Preserving Your History

Mutual of Omaha is running a series of ads about people’s “aha” moments.  This clip is about Bob, a man finally writing his memoirs.

“I always wanted to be sure the truth was told about my life. And I realized, the only one who was going to make that truth was me.”

Watch Bob explain his “aha” moment.

Do you long to tell your story?  Do you have a story that you would like to tell?  Make this moment your ‘aha’ moment.  Write your story, tell your story, leave your story for your family and friends.

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John J Cosgrove with grandkids - 1968

My grandfather was a lawyer by trade but his passion was writing.  So when he was asked to record his first Christmas memory, he went to another room to write everything down.  You can hear in his voice that he is reading his draft. And you certainly can hear the precision of the lawyer coming out. “That was the Christmas when I was three years and two months old.”  Though it may lack some spontaneity, it would have been a shame for my father to insist that he do it without the preparation that he felt he needed.  Because, forty years later, I can hear who he was through not only his words but also through his presentation.  I can hear the prepared, precise, and measured man that mentored a generation of lawyers in writing and brief preparation.

It’s an important lesson to me again in how much meaning is conveyed beyond the words themselves. And how important it can be to let your subjects be themselves.

Here’s his Christmas story as he wished to present it.

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