The Meaning of Heritage

Let's get a little philosophical today and look at the meaning or symbolism of "HERITAGE".  Dennis put a lot of thought into the naming of his pharmacy not only as a way to distinguish the business, but also as a way to show his appreciation for what the people and families in the area have done for him.

From the Book of Joel, Chapter 1 verses 2-3 (International version)

(2)Hear this, you elders;
listen, all who live in the land.
Has anything like this ever happened in your days
or in the days of your ancestors?


(3)Tell it to your children,
and let your children tell it to their children,
and their children to the next generation

For most people, the definition of Heritage is somewhat similar to the words of the Prophet Joel above where Heritage is something learned or taught which has been handed down from ones predecessors.  According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the English word 'heritage' has several senses, which are listed as follows:

1. practices that are handed down from the past by tradition- this is similar to what Joel had in mind.  Many of us do various tasks, use recipes etc. in a manner that would make our elders proud.

       
     2.  hereditary succession to a title or an office or property- the first thing that comes to my mind after reading this is the Walton family.  At the time of Sam Walton's death, he was the richest man in the United States.  After his estate was split, his heirs were either THE top five or in the top five richest in the U.S.

     3.  any attribute or immaterial possession that is inherited from ancestors- In my family, some of the kids will make a face or grin, sometimes even a statement that will make the parents say, "That's the PaPa Pete in you".

4. that which is inherited- This one basically speaks for itself and quite honestly is very similar to the second "sense" that Merriam-Webster provides.

As you may have seen in our recent ad, some synonyms for Heritage can include tradition, experience, family, law, or heirloom. More often than not, Heritage is something that a person or family is something to be proud of and held in high esteem. Listening to Dennis speak about his childhood and what he learned from his elders, one can definitely understand how proud he is of his heritage. 

Heritage is a word that is generally used in conjuction with family, so how would family come into the picture while deciding upon a name for a business?  The answer to that question is fairly simple if you, dear reader, have ever come into the pharmacy and had an opportunity to visit with Dennis, he can tell you stories about your own family that maybe you don't even know.  That doesn't come from being nosy or into other people's business- a talent like that comes from longevity and experience with people in the area. 

Heritage doesn't always have to do with family, as evidenced above, it can describe experience.  The world of pharmacology changes daily and it is one that accuracy and knowledge of the subject that a practioner needs to have an almost vice-like grip of in order to provide the best and highest quality service to his or her customers.  While your health care provider is extremely knowledgeable themselves on the subject, your pharmacist should be as well.  Be it drug to drug interactions or dosage instructions, keeping a watchful eye looking out for you is something that money can't buy.  While the subject of money is up, perhaps a new over the counter medication has come out that you have previously recieved only in prescription form is available which could perhaps either save you money from your co-pay or by possibly having to visit your doctor for an appointment to just see if you can get a refill (Note. in no way whatsoever shape or form are we advocating NOT consulting your physician regarding medication.  If you do not have a family physician we would be more than happy to provide you with contact information of ALL physicians in the area). 

Heritage can also symbolize 'tradition'.  Generally traditions are thought of around the holidays be it reminicing of Grandma's pumpkin pie or how Uncle Joe always had to eat in front of the t.v. to watch the football games on Thanksgiving.  Most traditions come from family recommendations or experiences.  Many times we find ourselves doing things because that was what Mom always did or we were advised by our elders the proper way to  conduct business.  More often than not, when Dennis is speaking to someone about their family that person will say "Well, <insert relative here> always said to come see you and I would be in big trouble if <that same relative> knew I was going somewhere else". 

Dennis has been in Kingfisher since 1976, born and raised in Lacy (east on HWY 51 from Hennessey in case you aren't familiar), so he knows the value of both family and heritage.  He also knows that any and all of his success as a pharmacist here has to do with hard, honest work and the families in the communities and surrounding areas.  Those people are a big part of Dennis' heritage, and the service he provided them and still provides today is something that gives him great pride. 

In the end, there are many meanings to the word "Heritage", and most can be attributed to family.  The word family can give us many different feelings, be it trust, security, or even a feeling of overall well being.  However you interpret the meaning of Heritage or Family, know that Dennis definitely had all those definitions or synonyms and more in mind when deciding upon the name Heritage Pharmacy.  We hope that if you are reading this post and haven't been in to see us yet you will do so soon because at Heritage Pharmacy we strive to provide quality service from people you know.

   

(All photos can be found around Heritage Pharmacy which are hand or footprints of Dennis' grandchildren or children of employees of Heritage Pharmacy)