Spokane Black Voices - What molds the future

If you look up the definition of history, Google will tell you that it is “the study of past events over time.” Personally, my definition is a little different.

History to me is what molds the future. With each breath we take, a moment has passed. With every second passing, a new moment is created. The clock is always ticking and we are always moving forward but it’s crucial for our future to take a look backwards. We all know that the past is any moment that has already been lived. Often we get stuck in the “been there, done that” or “oh, I’ve already seen that” mentality so we forget what has happened in this passing moment. If we take it for granted, can we truly learn history?

Everyone has heard the phrase “learn from your mistakes,” and I am often told “nothing changes if nothing changes.” So it is not a new concept to learn from the past, but we often get caught in the process of the present. We catch ourselves saying “oh, I was in the moment.” I’m not saying to live in the past, but it never hurts to remember what has been done and use that to build a better future.

While every person is a product of the past, that does not mean we must repeat it. So as my words leave my mouth and create history along with every action I make, I hope to leave you with one memory: Remember not to focus only on the present moment, but take what you’ve experienced in the past to build a brighter future where you can have even better memories.