One of the reasons why I think it’s so important to have “history months” (Black History Month, Women’s History Month etc.) and other days/weeks that we recognize periods of history or people in history is because so much of our present includes parts of history. Some examples include that the home we live in has existed before we moved in, maybe even before we were born. There are plenty of streets around the US and the world that have been walked and driven on for maybe even hundreds of years. We read books that were written 2 or more years ago. We compare current leaders in politics, business and philanthropy to past ones. We have sports fields and gear very similar to what they played on/with decades ago. We celebrate some holidays the same way they did hundreds of years ago. We still ride trains, some more modern than others. And of course we have people in history to thank for inventions and discoveries like x-rays, Penicillin, peanut butter, lightning rods, pencils and pens, the printing press and the telephone.
Have we discovered or invented some really cool stuff in recent years and decades? Yes, of course. But many of those successes are built on previous successes that happened decades or even 50+ years before. Because those people who came before us did great things, we’re able to do great things. It’s a team effort that crosses the boundaries of time and sometimes even geography or language (which is quite frankly cool and a legacy to be proud of).
No, not every success was one that directly impacts our lives today, so we don’t have to aim that high with every success journey we undertake, but it should encourage us to not only give our best efforts in case it does, we should also take a moment to recognize the people and parts that make up, inspire, begin, or helped bring us to this point. Why? Because it gives those people recognition, recognition they may not have gotten in their lifetime, and it’s a moment of humility to help us remember that we’re not alone in our journey and might not have gotten as far if those other people hadn’t played a role. Who do you have to thank for your success today?