Why We’re Here
Why We’re Here
TribYoute Videos is here because it is time to help our Elders find their voice and use it to speak their wisdom.
Someone needs to educate our community as to why the preserving of family stories is critical…before it’s too late. Someone needs to offer affordable services to families to help them reconnect the younger generation with the older. Someone needs to offer a modern twist on a classic method of honoring our Elders, helping them preserve their legacy, and pass down the gems of wisdom they have accumulated through decades of experience.
That “Someone” needs to be operating not with out-dated technology and techniques…but rather utilizing every modern technology that is available to us today, from online tools to the latest video and software equipment.
(If you want to know what a company’s videos will look like, pay attention to the quality of their website design.)
It is only by utilizing the latest technology at a cost that is accessible will we be able to truly capture the spirit and essence of individuals and families, on a meaningful scale.
Speaking of families, we hear these types of things from families in the community quite frequently:
“My parent lives in a retirement home and there’s not a lot to do.”
“My Mom has Alzheimer’s and I’m desperate to keep her mind ‘engaged’ as long as possible.”
“I wish I could help the younger generation not make the same mistakes I did…but they just won’t listen to me!”
“I lost a loved one and am afraid my memory of them is going to fade.”
“I want to honor my parents and thank them, but I don’t know how.”
“I want to preserve a really important event. What’s the best way to do that?”
Do any of those sound like you? Families like these are our ideal client base because we know we can help them. We know they value their family members, they want their parents and grand-parents to feel loved and cared for. They value connections and perhaps are seeking a way to bring their family closer together, or share that message of closeness with future generations.
It is a basic human need to feel Belongingness…to feel a part of something, whether you call it community, family, tribe, or network. None of us do well alone, we are just not biologically wired that way. Since the beginning of time we have banded together, first for survival and later for things like love and accomplishment.
We have discovered that the sharing and listening of family stories brings families closer together, in many ways.
It helps different generations with different values to respect and understand one another.
It passes down wisdom and life lessons subtly – through stories – in a way that makes them more likely to “stick” with the younger generations, when they are called upon in tough times. It turns misunderstanding into understanding. It provides a catharsis, a way to cope with painful past events. One can gain satisfaction knowing that what you’ve been through has not been for nothing, but that your story will help someone you love. It certainly can foster appreciation from the younger generations, as their knowledge of your life experiences increases.
A preserved story, especially on video, is a powerful comfort when our loved ones pass away. It can bring pleasure to everyone, remembering and reminiscing on good times. It helps those with dementia and Alzheimer’s stay engaged in life for longer. In fact, watching their own life in a slideshow or video is proven to engage Alzheimer’s patients’ brains, because memories of childhood are the last to go. It can help them remember who they are and who they were, and is one of the last activities that those with advanced diseases can do –watching carefully with their eyes when the ability to move and to speak has left them.
And finally, videotaped stories and tributes bring ultimate peace of mind. When you videotape your own story, you know you are giving an ultimate gift to your family’s future. You know your legacy and wisdom will be preserved and passed down…you have done all you can to help them succeed, even the ones you will never meet. And for the generations left behind, this peace of mind comes in knowing your ancestors – giving a voice and an image to just a name. Rather than feeling disconnected from your “Grand Grandpa Harry”, you can see him! Not just a photo of him, still and frozen in time, but hear his voice, see the sparkle in his eyes, discover his laughter!
What a wonderful feeling. It’s a gift that gives both ways.
Our society has taught us to value material possessions and wealth. Emotional intelligence and family wisdom has gone by the wayside, which is a tragedy, because we believe that people can be more successful in life – materially and otherwise – when they are able to draw on the stories and wisdom of those who have gone before them. Many of our young people, grown up on video games and Myspace, are coming of age and feeling a little lost and unrooted. As they begin their own adulthoods, they grapple with issues that previous generations have already gone through…should I marry this person? Should I finish college? Should I enlist in the Army, or the Peace Corps? How should I raise my children?
These are questions your grand-children and great-grandchildren will be asking soon, if not already. And the Elder generations – that’s you – are in a very unique place to help them!
This is why TribYoute exists.
We began to see the devastating effect that deaths had on families…not just the death and grief itself, but the feeling of regret for not having known that person better, and the almost panicked feeling of having lost a little bit of “us” for forever. It was then that we decided that it is time for a change in our society. With the news these days full of negativity from economic downturns to the latest violent crime, it is time for something positive. Time for busy families to reconnect. There is no time for regret, no time to waste.
We can strengthen our society by drawing on the wisdom of our Elders.
They may not have grown up with technology, but they have a lot of common sense, and a lot of wisdom and fascinating events to share with us, if we will just listen. The problems is that a lot of families don’t know where to start. Or perhaps they are too uncomfortable with the interview process themselves. Perhaps they are on a tight budget and don’t think they could ever afford a video.
Our ultimate goal is for every family to have a videotaped family history, self-produced or professionally-produced…and to continue adding to it as each generation ages and gains experience to their repertoire of knowledge. That is why we have specifically designed our offerings innovatively and efficiently to accommodate any budget, and have even “quick” options such as sending Grandma or Grandpa a card from our website, letting them know you’re thinking about them.
We want our nation to be strong. We want our Elders to be cherished. This is something we need to do, as individuals and as families.
From a simple “Love You” card, to a video documentary project, you will find something on this website you can use and afford. If this message has sparked something within you, then use our website. Connect with us to provide feedback. And spread the word in your community. There’s nothing to lose but time.