One of the greatest American General's of all time and a personal hero of mine, Robert E. Lee once said "The truth is this: The march of Providence is so slow and our desires so impatient; the work of progress so immense and our means of aiding it so feeble; the life of humanity is so long, that of the individual so brief, that we often see only the ebb of the advancing wave and are thus discouraged. It is history that teaches us to hope."
The last few words I find the most pertinent. How does history teach us to hope? What does history teach us to hope for? A world where everyone is equal? If we look back on history has that ever been achieved? Slavery has existed in nearly every civilization, so how can we ever believe it will end?
The quote still speaks volumes. History is a tool. It is more than just dates and dead guys. History continues to evolve everyday. Other fields of study do not move as rapidly forward. It takes years for math to become developed and new theorems discovered. Scientific experiences take more time than a single act of violence which can ring out across the world like the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. Language evolves slowly and continues in its current state for centuries.
This continuous flow of history gives each new generation a chance to expand the story of human civilization. This is the hope that Lee talks about. The hope that by every new individual they will learn from the past to make way for the future.
