Some would argue that we as humans need to live life in the present. We only have a limited time on this earth so we should enjoy every passing moment and not worry about what is behind or in front of us. The way we live, however, is affected by what we have done in the past and it will also affect what we will do in the future. We cannot simply dismiss our past and choose to live only in the present. Our history is our humanity, and we would not be able to exist if we never looked back upon it. That is why it is so important to have a clear picture of our history. We must use all the resources available to us when we try to construct an accurate picture of the past. Photographs, written documents, personal testimony, and artifacts are just a few things we could use to view our history. It is important for everyone to know where they came from; where their roots are. .
My roots began in Vietnam where my parents, and grandparents, and great grandparents are from. The Vietnam War occurred during my parents" generation. This caused them to migrate from the north to the south to escape the communists" rule. They had the opportunity to board a boat and escape the war. My parents wound up in a Philippine refugee camp where I was born. They spent a few years there until they were sponsored by relatives who were already in the states. We flew into Indiana and lived there a few years until we decided to move westward to Texas. Our time in Texas was enjoyable because we were surrounded by relatives. Then the call of opportunity from the west forced us all to migrate to California. This is where my history ends and my present begins.
As I have mentioned before, we cannot exist in the present without knowledge of the past. To make sure that we have a clear and precise picture of the past, we must not rely solely on our memory. We must base our history on concrete evidence. For example, to verify my family history, I would ask for personal testimonies from my parents, relatives of my parents, grandparents, and even friends of my parents.