Survival & the Oklahoma Standard
Written for Shoot the Breeze Magazine: Volume 00 - July 2024
Someone asked me recently to describe the State of Oklahoma in one word. I chose ‘Survival’. If I had to pick a recent keyword you hear a lot, I’d choose ‘Resilient.’ Regardless of your choice, Oklahoma is built on survival and resilience. Twenty years ago, Governor Brad Henry gave a ‘State of the State Address,’ and one line stands out to me. “Resilience is woven deeply into the fabric of Oklahoma. Throw us an obstacle, and we grow stronger”. In this address, he referenced fifteen tornadoes that caused massive destruction in May of 2003. Oklahoma has seen its fair share of natural destruction. This idea of resilience and survival is deeply rooted. These roots grow deeper with each obstacle the people take on. Looking back just nine years before this address from Governor Henry, a not-so-natural destruction really showed the world Oklahoma was full of survivors.
There is a museum and memorial in Downtown Oklahoma City dedicated to ‘those who were killed, survived, and changed forever.’ A manufactured destruction tore through part of the city on April 19th, 1995, at 9:02 am. A city over a hundred years old is steadily growing to be the ‘grandest state in the grandest country.’ This bombing took the lives of 168 living, breathing human beings. This event created thousands of survivors. People who endured physical or mental trauma directly by the event but also the entire state struck hard with the idea that something like this could happen so close to home. Survival isn’t just enduring though, it isn’t just enduring the event, enduring the short term. Survival is about prevailing and persevering. It’s about overcoming and becoming victorious over the darkness. An event like this creates a lot of darkness; it seeps into lives in the places least expected. Memories of lost loved ones can cause pain even decades later. An event like this can also create so much beauty. Oklahoma City has a set of core values that blossomed from this event. The ‘Oklahoma Standard’ is ‘Service, Honor, and Kindness.’
Service can mean a lot of things, depending on your perspective. It can mean serving your country or serving your community. Service can also be simplified to just giving your time for the benefit of another person. Service can be big or small, but it brings us together.
Honor is another word that feels as big as you want it to. Honor can mean a lot and carries weight to many people. Most people want to be described as honorable and have a good reputation. We also like to act honorably and do the right thing. This can be recognition or awards to highlight the top person. Most importantly, though, we honor those who came before us. We honor those who suffered so we don’t have to. We honor those no longer here to keep them alive through memory.
Kindness is universally understood. Kindness is in our DNA; through every struggle, we always come out caring for each other. Kindness is being considerate of others and thinking about how your actions can affect the people around you. Kindness is being generous where you can, donating, volunteering, and being genuinely helpful. Kindness is just being friendly; it doesn’t take much work to just be nice.
“Through boom and bust and Depression and boom again, Oklahomans have prevailed.”, another quote from another ‘State of the State Address’, this time in February of 1996 from Governor Frank Keating. Less than one year after the state dealt with its last obstacle. Oklahomans prevail. Governor Keating continues by referencing the recent bombing, “But the real story was written by our people -- the volunteers, the helpers, the good neighbors who established what has been hailed all over the world as The Oklahoma Standard.” One thing that shines through when you look at Oklahoma is that the people always come together. Whether it’s
a natural disaster or an act of domestic terror, Oklahomans take care of each other.
The Oklahoma Standard is the core value of our beautiful city. These values may have been put into writing after this horrific bombing, but they’ve always been a part of Oklahoma. Oklahoma has prevailed in every obstacle this state has taken on and every roadblock to its growth. Oklahoma is about coming together and building each other up. Having lived in Oklahoma for a decade, I’ve witnessed firsthand the perseverance and unity that define this state. From overcoming tragedy to building a thriving community, Oklahoma’s spirit of resilience is a testament to its people. This is more than just a place; it’s a community that lifts each other up, time and time again.
