Month One of Appreciation Concludes With My LOVE of History
Wednesday, January 31st, 2024
If you asked me to list off the top five things I am grateful for, it would start with God (whatever, whoever, however creation exists), move on to the primary aspects of that creation: the Universe, the Sun, and our beloved planet; and from there, I would next have to express my appreciation for the genus Homo, of which we are the last surviving species (Homo Sapiens Sapiens).
Do I love humans because we are the pinnacle of some great universal IQ test, ever-striving for the next level of perfection? Of course not. No. Not by a long shot.
We are a teeny, tiny, miniscule blip, barely worth noticing, in the whole, majestic, tremendous and phenomenal object/non-object described in English as “existence.” And, that makes us about as valuable as a grain of sand on Earth or maybe a hydrogen atom yet to be expelled from our sun.
I love humans for one simply reason. I am one. And so, I care, which brings me to my INTENSE APPRECIATION FOR HUMAN HISTORY!
Let’s face it. Being human ain’t easy. And, the primary outcomes of living through the chaos, confusion, and conflict of the human experience (as it repeats, rhymes, cycles, and regurgitates “same shit, different century”) are:
a desire for it all to make sense,
a need to understand what’s happening right now,
an ability to predict what’s headed our way next, and
an appreciation for accessible wisdom.
Where do we get all that? HISTORY.
You may know I’ve been learning Korean. I’m fascinated by the culture on a number of levels, I’m having a blast learning the language, I now eat my own homemade Kimchi daily, and I’m planning to travel to Korea in 2025 to research the 3rd book of my novel series (The Ghost Lords) during which my protagonist will escape from the clutches of The Family which dominates Europe to a hidden, secretive side of Korea.
I’ve also been watching plenty of K-dramas. Many of which have to do with Korean history, which is one of many colorful variations of the human story. My take away today? LOL — humans are the same, the world over!
Human history teaches us one primary lesson: people can and will do anything for a variety of reasons, and there is no moment in time or form of society that escapes this inevitability.
In other words…
Do not be one of the fools (they always exist) who refuses to consider the full range of possibilities.
Do not be one of the gutless cowards (they always exist) who covers her eyes and refuses to see what is right in front of her.
Do not be one of the loyalists (they always exist) who covers his ears, refusing to hear evidence against that which he follows.
Do not be one of the silent bystanders (they - damn them! - always exist) who allows bad people to act with impunity, confident no one will speak up or stop them.
And do not be a human nature denialist (who also always exist) who prefers a fictional nirvana to the gritty & exquisite world we live in.
Every day, if I crack open a history book, watch an historical drama, listen to music composed long, long ago, peruse an art museum, or otherwise allow the wisdom of the ages to seek in through my pores — I am reminded of what humans are capable of and that is what I need in order to face this world head on and engage most effectively.
When you think of history, say to yourself, “this is the surest pathway leading to truth and honesty,” and then be grateful to all the people of the past who did whatever was necessary to record and protect our shared human story.