I went a bit deeper into my iTunes playlist last night and dug out one of my favorite albums from the late 90’s. Sure decksanddrumsandrockandroll might not trigger major memories for most of you, but it’s an album I definitely listened to on a regular basis during my freshmen year of college. History Repeating was probably my favorite track on the album and included the chorus:
.. and I’ve seen it before
.. and I’ll see it again
.. yes I’ve seen it before
.. just little bits of history repeating
I believe there is a lot of truth the idea of history repeating. George Santayana said it best: “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
I think the problem lies when we believe we have no role in changing our history, or breaking our cycles.
I had a conversation with one of my best friends today. He and I are quite similar in many regards. His common mistakes and flaws are almost identical to mine. His habits, cycles, and history are also the same. We end up being great advice people for one another because we can provide great perspective, and we can speak those harsh truths to one another, cutting to the core of our current situations. While discussing how we each could change our life at this point, there was some initial pushback on his part (I’d be on that end in another conversation, but it was my turn to give the harsh advice in this call). While he did ultimately agree, I could sense his hesitation. Our call ended well and I know one day the roles will likely be reversed again (it’s what a good friendship does).
Still, that history repeating notion was in my head throughout the day. It’s one of the reasons I listened to the Propellerheads song again.
And then I went for an evening walk to just think, and I thought about flying.
I’ve noticed my regular conversation with people today is “where’ve you been?” or “where you going?” Several of the questions on my new formspring page are travel related. It’s true, I do love travel. That’s been the case since I was a kid, but if I’m honest…
…I wasn’t always a good traveler.
My parents brought the family on several cross country trips for conferences. I think it’s where I got a bit of that traveling bug. While many of my childhood friends had more toys than me, I usually got to go somewhere in the US during the summer. I’d fly on planes, sit in cars, and even was able to ride in a sleeper car on a train on one trip. But…
…I’d often get sick.
There were several years (including some during middle school) where if I changed timezones, I’d get ill. It wasn’t the flu. It wasn’t food poisoning. Something it my head just made me sick. I’d get so excited for these conferences and after a flight back east, I’d wake up only to miss the first day, spending it sick in my room. There were even a few airplane flights where I got ill.
When I was elected Governor for the California-Nevada-Hawaii District of Key Club back in high school, I was really worried about my few trips back east. Would history repeat itself again?
It wasn’t really until that year where I got over a lot of my mental blocks with travel. I finally could take off or land on a plane without feeling I had to have piece of gum, I found the ability to sleep on a flight, and I could switch a timezone without having any illness the next day. Now, I can go 7-10 days in a row with a flight each day, popping around the US and changing timezones more than a newborn child changes Onesies.
In other words, my history didn’t repeat. My “history” got better. It got more exciting.
I think it’s because I followed the George Santayana quote more than the Propellerheads song. I could learn from my past to make sure it didn’t happen again. I eat better when I travel now. I try to get the necessary sleep. I take an early morning flight out as it is easier for me to sleep on the plane. And I also just tell myself: “you’re not going to get sick.”
It seems to work.
Travel is one thing, but our lives and our bigger struggles are another. I know that I’ll probably be on the other end of the conversation with my good friend sometime down the road. Hopefully, he’ll come back at me with some good solid advice, and talk to me about ways my history might not repeat.