You cannot shape your destiny without knowledge of your history.
Hi! If you are reading this, thank you for clicking this blog. This is the first of, hopefully, a long line of blogs to come over the following months to years.
Before we jump into the blog, I want to give some background and a premise to these blogs.
Premise
Since January 21st, 2019, I’ve occasionally added quotes to a running note on my phone. At the time, it was pretty insignificant. I would read something, talk to someone, or come across a quote I thought was worth saving. Fast forward to the writing of this blog, and I have over 50 quotes written on an iPhone note. Some have the original author/speaker credited, but most do not, which I believe adds value to my purpose of saving them.
Unknown to me in the beginning, but after reflecting three years later. I added quotes because those words align with the person I want to become. We all have an internal envision of the person we strive to develop into. These quotes shape the values of who I hope to be.
Back to the date above, that random day in January is unique because it was around the start of my last semester in college. Along with the thought of what’s after college, I was no longer an athlete or thought like one. This was an inflection point for me.
This collection of blogs to come is my interpretation of those saved quotes. I decided to share my thoughts because I thought about my nephew. At that moment, I realized my nephew also will strive to become the person he envisions himself as. The goal is to help him and whoever takes a liken to these blogs navigate.
Disclaimer: I am very much on my journey (far from completion), so please do not take my words as gospel, but instead view me as an individual willing to search for answers by continuing to learn and read, self-reflection, and documentation.
Quote #1 | “You cannot shape your destiny without knowledge of your history.”
Growing up, I learned my family history through casual conversation during the holidays and the occasional non-holiday-related one-off story shared by a family member.
Regarding black history, my knowledge extended to what was taught during February, movies I had watched with my mother, and occasional conversations. Saying I had basic knowledge would be a reach compared to what I know now.
This quote stood out to me because I believed it to be true. When I was playing football, a phase that is/was passed around by coaches was “know your why.” Meaning finding your purpose for what you are doing because when practice gets hard, you find yourself in the trenches, or the game is on the line, the man who knows his “why” will win every time. That embedded purpose will help you go the extra mile, get the extra rep, and finish past the line. You carry it with you like a card hidden up your sleeve. You pull it out and get the job done.
Knowing your history can serve the same purpose. Understanding where you come from, shared family values, accomplishments, and failures can help you navigate life. We all know life will get tough. You will be in the trenches whether physical, emotional, or mental; winter comes for all of us.
Building a foundation based on your history can drive you to overcome any obstacle. If your perspective is positive or negative, either outlook can help you shape the life you envision. Positive will provide continuous reinsurance in your journey. A negative can create motivation and desire that is unmatched. I am not diving too deep because of the abundance of motivational speakers/videos to help you better than I can.
However, I would like to take a moment to talk specifically to African Americans. Based on my research and discovery, I’ve concluded its two takeaways from our history. Side note, the facts of our oppression are endless. I will never reject nor deny it. However, living in the present day as a Black American, you have black victimization or resilience. Both are true, but as individuals, we tend to live on one side of the fence or the other. That choice typically influences our decisions in life.
The purpose of this blog is not to tell anyone what to choose or what perspectives to adopt but to invite and encourage you to explore your history because you cannot shape your destiny without knowledge of your history.
To my nephew,
whenever you read this, remember I was a young man just as you are now. The life ahead is filled with ups and downs, new experiences, and fun. Learning more about our family history helped me understand more about myself which helped me make choices without regret.
