Africans were already in the Americas before Christopher Colombus

While I was in Mexico a few years ago, I went and visited a city called Tezpotzlan.

A native there who spoke the original Mayan and Aztec language Nahuatl. Told me that the people who were originally here looked like me. And that over time people just forgot that most of the slaves were actually taken from people that were already here. I had heard some rumors like this from what I had read a few times online, but I always took it as misinformation or likely fantasy.

But hearing it directly from a native who lives there, and actually speaks the nearly dead language that the Aztecs and Mayans spoke, say this to me. Really shook me, and through many more experiences during my many travels. I've realized many things you cannot simply learn from reading things on the internet or from schools. You have to physically go to these places and see things for yourself.

This is also not to discount the apparent fact that people were indeed taken from Atrica, and the atrocities that occurred as a result of that. But to add more information to the story. Which as from what l experienced is not going to be found in your common history book. This however also doesn't mean that we should try to make up stories to fit whatever narrative we wish to create for ourselves or others. As we will just end up adding more noise to the already difficult to parse story of the reality that actually happened. If we wish to have any hope to elucidate the past, then we must honestly search for truth.

Meditations Marcus Aurelius

Video link: Marcus Aurelius Meditations: The Stoic Ideal

This is my favorite lecture on the life of Marcus Aurelius. 

I think I’ve watched it at least 3-4 times..It’s highly inspiring. 

It’s also a very interesting look into the psychology and life of a man who was at the time, probably the most powerful man in the world. 

It’s often difficult for people to relate with the difficulties that people in such positions experience. And not only that, we often deduce that because of our own failings and the failings of others. That the majority of, or worse, that all people are not of such a pure, and resilient nature. 

But these people do and have existed. And there’s many examples.

And their stories should inspire us to see and believe in what we can be. And to believe in others as well. 

In particular this is why I never really resonated with the saying. 

“Well, I’m only human”. 

As if that is a limitation. When often it’s just used as an excuse not to aspire to be more than what one thinks they can be, or what they think is possible in their world.