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The men and women who lived
a hundred plus years ago possessed the same passions, strengths and weaknesses
that we possess today. Being born,
struggling for food and shelter, mating, dying; the basic rhythms of life
remain the same from century to century.
The ordering of these rhythms of life by social custom and political
institutions depends largely on technology and the prevailing ideology of the
day. Can we ever judge if the ordering
was right? Should we even try? History is a kaleidoscope, the view changes
with the values of each succeeding generation.
What was moral and right in 1861 is today unacceptable. What is moral and right today will be
unacceptable tomorrow.
What history can give us is
perspective. History shows that this
moment is not the only moment, but rather is part of a continuum. Without perspective life becomes
self-absorbed, and degenerates into either solemn and stressful or frivolous
and trivial. Hopefully, with
perspective, we can find balance.
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