History of our own lives

The Importance of History in Our Own Lives

History well told is beautiful. The story of our life, the word of our testimony, and of the place where we live, the corner of this wonderful world we occupy, is a story that must be told. And the actual story is the one that should be shared. Historians know the importance of drama but also of accuracy. Biography and military history and the epic stories of faith appeal in part because of the tales they contain. History as art and entertainment serves a real purpose, on aesthetic grounds but also on the level of human understanding. Stories well done are stories that reveal how people and societies have actually functioned, and they prompt thoughts about the human experience in other times and places. Shall we not engage in recounting the past or shove past memories in to the forgetful closets of our mind. The very beauty that inspired our fathers and mothers should inspire us to be immersed in the simple stories of those who came before us and that time invested in immersing ourselves to reconstruct perhaps albeit remote pasts, far removed from the immediate, nevertheless present present day utility. Exploring the ‘pastness of the past’ itself involves a sense of beauty and excitement, and ultimately another perspective on human life and society.