“I quote others only in order to better express myself.” -Michel de Montaigne

Learning from others helps us understand and be ourselves. Their voices offer lessons and tools to use in life: what if you looked at the world this way, they say. They are invitations from guides and friends. They are companions in our sorrows and tricksters to make us smile. The world is wide, and history takes all that breadth and gives it an endless depth. Like Newton, we can stand on the shoulders of giants. Like Matthew Arnold’s picture of Shakespeare, we can climb to the stars by planting our footsteps in the depths and mystery of the ocean. We can learn, laugh, and wander along through wonder with the voices of those who have gone before. So much of what we do we do together.

And by the way, it’s not only older generations who have “gone before.” The phrase applies to nine year olds. If you’re not sure, try keeping up with one…