The question of “Why is history important?” has occupied the depths of my mind since I first learned what the topic itself is. Prompted by teachers, parents and mentors, this question has always stuck with me because I have never previously seemed to propose an answer more authentic than the cliché Winston Churchill quote, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

I have always thought of history as familiarizing myself with the people and events on the pages of my social studies textbooks. However, with age I have realized that this type of history is just one definition. One of Merriam Webster’s essential definitions states that it is merely “events of the past.” History can be as simple as the past happenings of my life, your life and our lives. 

My sophomore year of high school, I started keeping a journal; a practice that has since become habitual. Some nights I make lists or write down my current favorite song lyrics, others I scribble my every indignant thought on the page, letting tears stain my black ink, but most I thoroughly share all the happenings of my day. My journal is essentially the most accurate record of my life and how it occurs from my perspective.

I have gone through seasons of life where I “fight” with my journal and go for weeks without it, letting an overwhelming amount of thoughts consume me. But somehow, I always come back to it. This incessant bond with my brain and the need to pour it out onto paper, I have realized, has helped me develop an ability to more rationally process the personal history of my everyday life.

For instance, my life began on June 10, 2004, deeply immersed in the southern culture of historic Rock Hill, South Carolina. As the daughter of two collegiate volleyball coaches, my life later moved through the college town of Athens, Georgia where I started my elementary education. After a short period of time residing in Omaha, Nebraska, I landed in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 

From growing up saying ma’am and sir in the warm and relaxed southern climate, to now living in the upper midwestern plains, each of these places has shaped my perceptions in some way. Journaling has caused me to reflect on the settings of my history and how they have affected me. I have since realized that experiencing these various cultures has inspired me to tell my stories to an audience greater than my journal. 

This is why I believe history is important; it lays the foundation for the rest of our lives. Every occurrence that has happened to us, every place we have been and every person we have known is a part of our past and shapes the way we experience our future. Your’s and mine. Looking at our history can reveal our passions, give us a better understanding of the world around us and help us feel more connected to ourselves.

In a way, my journal is a history book. A primary source detailing the life of me. The happenings documented in my journal today will affect the way I perceive tomorrow. I now know that history is important because it makes us who we are.