“History is not to be repeated , but history gives us a chance to learn from our past mistakes” my son told me in no uncertain terms, quoting someone somewhere I think, when we were discussing the subject that to my children is better left to bookworms and historians, whilst they choose to live in the present, not dwell on the past. Someone else also said: “the fact that we can learn, that we have the gift of memory that allows us to keep an inventory of our mistakes, thus preventing us from repeating them all over again” shows us that mankind can make positive changes and revert negative information.
It brings to mind cases in history, like the wars in various parts of the world, Bosnia, Rwanda, Iraq, Afghanistan…that should not be repeated but avoided at all costs. How often we mourn over lives lost, lost causes, properties burnt-out, misplaced families, relatives and friends. Then we have financial fallouts, monetary disasters, investment cheats, loan defaulters and a breakdown in the financial systems of the world…can the world get over all these human-made disasters? Can the same men who brought us despair and a sense of hopelessness, now learn from the past and bring forth positive changes for the good of mankind?
What about ourselves, our daily lives? We often lament to our children, “back when we were younger, when your parents went to school by bus and pocket money was only 20 sen, when there was only a black and white TV that we could afford, and of course, no such thing as eating out and going to the movies was a once a year New Year treat!”. But our children listen and nod their heads as if in sympathy and then we remind them to be thankful for what they have now and are receiving daily. Life is such a sinch these days, kids have maids, I find it difficult to juggle my career with that of a homemaker without one! I was without one for a whole month when the last one returned to Indonesia. Today, I picked the new one up, judging by her looks and first impressions, she seems polite and obedient. Hope I get lucky cos’ with all the tales about maids attacking their employers these days…one can’t be too careful. Thank God, this weekend is a three day one, so I have ample time to show her the ropes before I fly off to Kuching on Tuesday.
Oh well, life goes on for everyone…take care…
cheers
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