I wonder why we like history, why we read textbooks and force it on our kids. Why the hell should it matter what happened a billion years ago in Nepal? Perhaps the following musings will lead me towards an answer, but your answers are most warmly welcomed :
On this day in History Godfrey of Bouillon was elected the first Defender of the Holy Sepulchre of The Kingdom of Jerusalem in the first Crusade, David Spade was born, and the Jews of Warsaw were systematically deported from the Ghetto. On This day in history a bomb was ironically exploded in San Francisco during National Preparedness day killing 10 and injuring 40, Napolean the Second died, and I Robin Layter probably woke up, did some things, and eventually went to sleep (a little bit older and more than likely not very much wiser).
On this day in History, everyone who ever lived for longer than the 365 days of our contemporary calender, woke up, did some things, and eventually went to sleep. And I'm left scouring the wikipedia page wondering why I should care. On THIS day in history, I woke up, went to Yoga, ate some eggs, read some words, sat behind a screen and began typing this post. Will that information ever make it to Wikipedia? I doubt it.
And yet, I like to know. I like knowing that today is Albert Brook's birthday and that 33 years ago Japan completed its last reparation to the Philippines for war crimes committed during WWII. I like knowing that a year ago in this very same city on this very same day the temperature was 11 degrees warmer than it is right now and sunnier. I like knowing that this day has happened before in infinitely different ways.
I like history, I like knowing that every day I wake up I beat it at it's own game. I like knowing I'm not history, not yet. And I like to learn from it. I like that I have the stored knowledge of every July 22nd that has ever occurred and that next year this day will only be notable to me because it happened somewhere on the chain of a lifetime of days. And if it hadn't happened, if these 24 hours of doing things and not doing things weren't completed in full, then my future would be as meaningless as my past. Together they work well, they're like tennis opponents in an eternal volley, but without today and right now to give them meaning, well then they're playing with no net or referee or court or racket, or suitable metaphor.
So on this day in history, let us remind ourselves why we like history, why it's important that we know that Martial law was revoked in Poland in 1983 and John Dillinger was shot to death and Wiley Post made the first solo flight around the world in 1933.
It's important because without our yesterdays our todays don't mean a thing. Without a line to follow we'll never move from this spot, and if we aren't moving, well, why even exist? So be happy that in a year from now you'll be able to say that on this day July 22 2009, you woke up, did some things, and went to sleep a little bit older and maybe just a microscopic bit wiser. And be happier that every future July 22nd is filled with the unlimited possibilities of the universe and will invariably be different than every July 22nd that has come before.
