Reason #57: You can’t know where you’re going unless you know where you’ve been.

Have you ever been lost? Like, really lost? I have, and it's zero fun. In fact, if you don’t panic and pee a little when it happens, you’re a calmer person than me. 

I got lost in a forest once. 

Our home was near a huge hill covered with Douglas fir trees. My brothers and I built forts there and threw dirt clods and rocks at each other. Like getting lost, I don’t recommend that. 

One day I decided to adventure off of the winding dirt road that curled through our woods to see what the rest of the forest looked like. My reason? I was a boy and I was six. Enough said.   

In that thick forest, It didn’t take long for me to lose my way. In every direction, there were trees. And every tree looked exactly like the one next to it. 

So, how do you get unlost? Well, you can’t know where you are going unless you know where you’ve been. 

What you need is social studies: geography, history, or maybe, a little sociology.  

Geography

Want to get unlost? Find a landmark and use it to guide you. Native Americans were great at this. They changed the shape of select trees so they could find them on later journeys. One in Alabama was made to look like a goal post on a football field. They also planted rock markers and decorated them with stunning designs called petroglyphs. This was ancient and brilliant geography. 

Look at maps today. They are filled with landmarks–monuments, parks, buildings or even red stars and the phrase “You are here” on them. A landmark like that would have been a lifesaver when I was lost in my neighborhood forest. And, believe me, I was desperately looking for one. 

History

Another way to get unlost is to retrace your steps and follow them to a familiar place. To go forward you have to go back. That’s history. The study of where we’ve been can be super helpful in deciding where we are going next. 

Well, how do you think I got unlost? Geography? History? 

Neither. I yelled louder than a jet plane and my brothers found me. Sociology. 

So, if you are feeling a little lost today, look for a familiar landmark, a place you love. It might comfort you. Or retrace your steps to find out where you went wrong or what you left behind that might help. Or, lean on your family or community. 

Whatever you do, it's social studies. Social studies matter!