Passionate Preservation

I have been thinking a lot about how often we archive information, sculptures, art, writings, and produce literature and accounts of those from years past. There is something to be said about those history classes we have taken. A lot of stories are told from the perspective of the victors. I wondered how much was watered down or sugar-coated or embellished for the purpose of looking better in the long run. I have been fascinated by cultures, languages, folklore, and mythology since an early age. I realize now that my interests lie in the fact that it teaches us many important lessons. We've heard the old saying that "history repeats itself" but we have to ask ourselves--does it have to? Is there some way we can avoid that or keep it from happening too often? Is history doomed to repeat itself because it's an inevitable factor in shaping our future?

These thoughts led me to study the past more often. Some people think it's dangerous to be so absorbed in the past when the present requires attention. It's absolutely crucial to be present but it's just as crucial to learn from the past. A lot of what was accomplished in society as humans has to do with our predecessors. They learned through experience and mistakes, through trial and error. But as individuals, this is far more challenging. This is one of the biggest hurdles I've ever had to face and continue to face. Mistakes are the things that have constantly haunted me. If I wasn't living in the past or wallowing in self-misery over what happened, I was always worrying about the future. I was never truly present. I am slowly learning now to be aware of myself in the present, to recognize and acknowledge that the past is the past--and to not concern myself with what will be---to get out of the land of the what ifs.

In studying what I have, I realize there is so much more to learn from the past: the languages we spoke, the dreams we wove and shared, the incredible inventions we created, and the way we changed and continue to change.We have come a long way as a species. It's really something when I sit down to think about it and imagine how different life used to be, and what it is today. Humanity has done a lot in a short amount of time. We don't think of ourselves necessarily as a young species but we certainly are in many respects. It's a fascinating subject to study for sure. History will continue to move us, shape us, but it can show us the way to do things properly too.