Curiosity is that thing that makes us human. The desire to find out how things work, where we come from, who we are and what the possibilities for the future are is what differentiates us from the animals we share this planet with. Without curiosity, we become nothing more than a receptor of outside stimuli. Are we maintaining our curiosity today or simply seeking to be stimulated?
This is National Tourism Week and I can think of no better example of the curious mind than the desire to travel to other places to see, to do and to experience. With all the technology available to us today to virtually see other places, it cannot replace physically being there. I can read about the Battle of Gettysburg (and have a lot), but cannot understand what happened there until I stand at the summit of Little Round Top and feel what those soldiers did as the three-day battle progressed. Closer to home, I can read about John Parker and John Rankin in Ripley along the Ohio River and their efforts to bring thousands of escaping slaves north to freedom. But, until I stand on the banks of that river and look up the hill to the Rankin House, I cannot understand how those escaping slaves felt as they began their journey to freedom. I can look at literally thousands of photos of Serpent Mound, Fort Ancient and other Native American earthworks and read what the archaeologists have to say about these ancient cultures. I cannot understand the scope of these massive works or their significance to the people who built them until I am standing in their presence, awed by the size and precision. I can read many wonderful books about the life of Abraham Lincoln and the wise historians’ evaluation of his presidency. But, when I stand next to the column on the east side of the Ohio Statehouse and know that I am standing in the exact spot where Lincoln delivered what was essentially his first campaign speech, he becomes less a historic figure and more a man that I feel a connection with. I can read, even watch movies that show how citizens at train depots across the country cared for soldiers as they made their way to the fronts in Europe and the Pacific. But, when I visit the Dennison Depot and spend some time in a place where that all happened, it is more real and meaningful.
The Canteen at Dennison Depot
Movies, books, articles and other means of conveying history are important. I have made it my life’s work to do just that. But, these methods of conveying history are just starting points. They are meant to inspire, stir curiosity and coax us to get out and go see for ourselves these places that helped to determine who we are. As we go through National Tourism Week, many will think of beaches, amusement parks or destinations outside our own country as tourism. They are, but in reality, most of us spend the majority of our time as tourists traveling within an hour or two of home to visit the places we have a more direct connection with. Places that speak to us at a deep level about who we are and what we aspire to be.
So, get out this summer and enrich your understanding of the place you call home. Learn more about all the places you can visit at www.discoverohio.com.
No responses yet