Just now, I was looking back on a blog that I have had since my senior year of high school, and I just came across a quote that I thought was important enough to write down as a freshman in college.

“Know Thyself, a wise old Greek once said…It means, be what you are…God doesn’t want a tree to be a waterfall, or a flower to be a stone. God gives to each one of us a special talent…God wants some of us to become scientists, some of us to become artists…And He gives to each of us the special talents to become these things, provided we work to develop them….So: Know Thyself. Learn to understand your talents, and then work to develop them. That’s the way to be happy.” He pinches his mouth together and winks. That was good. –Rabbit, Run, John Updike

Who knew then that I’d be reading that quote right now and be very encouraged upon reading it. I think it’s a good example of why we should document our lives. The stories we have to tell through such seemingly insignificant lives and lenses can be inspiring. And I always end up surprising myself with how profound, funny, or genuinely heartbreaking I can be.

On another note, I was talking to my mother this morning who is on the East Coast. My uncle (her brother) emailed me to tell me of this story about when they were growing up and they had a puppy that she loved so much. She wouldn’t go to bed until the puppy was tucked into its box and she sang it to sleep. My mom laughed when I reminded her of it, and she started telling me about another story concerning childhood pets. I’ve never heard these stories before.

I don’t know what it is about listening to my mother’s stories. I feel a strong connection to her, to my family, to my ancestors, to my heritage, to the Philippines, to the world.. I mean, it’s not just my parents, either. I love old people (and old things/music as well) for the very fact that they have amazing stories and perspectives to share. There’s so much to learn from the past. I love thrift and vintage stores because everything in there has a story and a past that I like to try to imagine.

I’d love to hear what other people think about the past, whether or not you’re as fascinated as I am. Why or why not aren’t you interested in it? Or perhaps any views on blogging — why do you do it? For personal reasons or as a public voice? What kind of story are you writing?