In my work as an Oral Historian, I often meet clients who view certain chapters of their lives as "lost time." These are the periods where they were not climbing a ladder or winning awards: they were simply surviving. They might describe a year spent caring for a sick relative, a stretch of unemployment, or the grueling early years of a business where they barely broke even. To them, these years feel like a gap. They see these moments as chores they had to finish before they could get back to the business of living. Of achieving.
However, these periods of just getting by are often where our most defining values are forged. When we strip away the external metrics of success, we are left with the raw materials of our character.
For us Baby Boomers who grew up in the post-war era of expansion, our cultural conditioning tells us that if we are not moving forward, we are failing. This relentless focus on the next milestone makes it very difficult to see the worth in the quiet struggle. Yet, when you look back at your life, you realize that "just doing what was necessary" required a tremendous amount of internal strength.
If you spent years in a job you disliked to ensure your children had a stable home, you were not just "getting by." You were practicing the value of self-sacrifice. If you stayed honest and kept your word during a financial crisis when it would have been easier to cut corners, you were not just "surviving." You were embodying integrity. These values are the true cornerstones of your life story.
A sense of accomplishment is a psychological state that arrives when you finally see the interconnectedness of your choices. It happens when you stop seeing those difficult years as a box of puzzle pieces and start seeing how they fit into the larger arc of your life.
When an Oral Historian listens to these stories, it provides a profound sense of validation. It acknowledges that your experiences truly matter. Especially the ones no one else saw. By naming these unseen values, we reframe past setbacks as essential chapters of personal growth. You begin to realize that the person you are today was in part created during the times you thought you were doing the least.
Your life is more than a resume of milestones. It's more of a combination of both the public triumphs and the quiet, grueling stretches of survival. These hidden chapters also hold weight, even if they are the easiest to overlook or dismiss.
If this resonates with you, and you are interested in documenting your life stories, I’d be happy to help. As an Oral Historian, my job is to guide you through the process. Asking thoughtful questions and helping you reflect on the experiences that have shaped your life. We’ll talk about everything from your childhood memories, to family traditions, to the major events that influenced your life. The process is designed to help you reflect on your life while preserving your story for generations to come.
~ Kenneth Greenberg :: Oral Historian