History: It is present

"The more things change, the more they remain the same."

     I love history.  I love to read it and I love to think about it.  I somehow feel very connected to the 

past.  I think about my ancestors and what their daily lives were like.  I think about things they may 

have said and how they might have felt.  I know they must have been strong and determined.  

Sometimes I may just hear a current news story which makes me start to think of a historical event. 

I do like to put things into historical context as it makes me see how the past still affects the present.

    One such example of this is when I heard the news of Prince Harry's engagement to Meghan Markle.

Someone mentioned how a biracial woman is marrying into British royalty.  They also stated how an 

American woman is marrying a wealthy European man.  Immediately, I thought about a story 

about New Orleans back in the 1800s.  That article exposed the social event where rich European

men were fascinated with American mulattoes and would make them their mistresses.  These biracial 

women in New Orleans in the 1800s were the envy of others as they got lavish gifts from their rich

European suitors.  Fast track to 2018 and we see where a European aristocrat has chosen a biracial,

American woman to be his bride.  Some things from the past do continue into the present.

     I love listening to jazz music.  As I listen to it, I often transport my mind back to the 1940s and 50s.

I put myself in a jazz club where Ella, Billie, Dinah, Louis, Duke and others come to perform.  That's 

when the music becomes even more heavenly to me.  I make my mind see all the musicians with their 

awesome instruments and the singers belting their heart out as they deliver song after song.  Then I 

think about how the music back then has influenced the music we have now.  I know my love affair

with history will continue as I see it and feel it all around me.  It makes you appreciate what you have 

now as you know others made sacrifices to get us to this point.

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