How Our History Shapes Us

Why are we drawn to certain activities? Why are we more interested in one subject over another, and why might we feel more comfortable in this environment than we do in that one?

For many of us, the answer comes down to history. Our history. 

The history of how we were raised, how our family spent its time, and how we came to meet our world. The history of our introduction to language and sports, to school and to friendship, and to forming our own thoughts and opinions -- and having them heard. 

History is a powerful thing. It can connect people across regions and generations. It can connect ideas and actions -- or it can simply serve as a conversation starter among new friends. However you look at it, your history is a part of you.

Just as my history is a part of me.

See, my great-grandmother was Dutch, and after moving to Indonesia, she gave birth to my grandmother. When Indonesia became independent, she decided to stay and become official Indonesian citizens; she loved the nation and her family’s life inside it, and she couldn’t imagine returning back to the Netherlands.

Determined to stay, she continued on with her choice anyway, changing her family’s names to reflect Indonesian culture and putting her heart and soul into helping the community they’d become a part of. (She was strong like that.)

My great-grandmother and grandmother donated their time, energy, and resources to bettering the lives of those around them -- and specifically, to helping the Indonesian children flourish.

I’m often asked where my motivation for helping children and education-based initiatives comes from -- where I get my drive to go out and do good for my community. The answer can be found in my history.

Putting hours of free time into supporting the children who need it. Putting hours of hard-work and exertion into supporting the education-based efforts that deserve it. To me, it’s more than just showing up for the sake of showing up. 

It’s a birthright.

It’s a way for me to show respect to the family -- to the strong and supportive women -- that came before me. It’s a way for me to offer gratitude to the principles and values I was raised with, and it’s a way for me to feel the history that runs through my veins.

My heart is not just my heart. It beats with the strength of my ancestors, with the passion of my values, and with the sturdiness of my roots. It was shaped by my history -- and I’m oh so grateful for it. 

But I know that the support I’m able to give isn’t just my support, either. It’s the support of the people behind me -- people like you -- who make it possible. Which is why I’m more grateful to you than I could ever put into words.

You’ve shown up for me. You’ve donated to the initiatives and you’ve put trust in the work.

It means so much to me. Really and truly, your efforts never go unnoticed. They never go un-thanked and they never go un-applauded. My heart sees each and every one of them, and what a humbling sight they are to behold.

This month, June, is my birth month. In lieu of gifts, I’m asking for you -- who are able and wanting -- to donate to this exceptionally worthy cause.

“Kindness is the greatest gift.” As a child, that proverb was breathed into me time and time again. I believe in it with all of my heart, just as I believe in your goodness. Just as I believe in the strength, and the soul, of my history.

It’s true that our history shapes us. But it’s what we do with that shape that tells the story of who we are.