We often look back at history with self-righteous eyes, quick to condemn those who lived in a world we can barely imagine.
Modern critics often attempt to tarnish Columbus’s reputation, relying on exaggerated or false claims. Yet, it’s easy to judge the past from the comfort of the present.
We do so armed with centuries of progress bought by the very people we now scorn. Columbus lived in an era of uncertainty and danger.
The world was thought smaller, the oceans endless, and the risks absolute. Still, he dared to dream, to lead, and to sail into the unknown.
His courage changed the course of history. With faith as his compass, he crossed an uncharted ocean with conviction and resolve.
His voyages linked continents, opened trade routes, and sparked centuries of exploration that reshaped civilization. He stood not as a perfect man, but as one driven by purpose.
The irony is simple: if we lived then, we would almost certainly share their blind spots and far fewer of their achievements.
It’s easy to claim moral superiority when the hardest choices have already been made by those who came before us. Their failures are our lessons. Their courage, our inheritance.
Columbus faced immense danger with limited tools and unshakable faith. His determination made him one of history’s most significant figures, proving that bold dreams truly can change the world.
Today, let’s remember that giving grace to those who came before us is not about excusing their flaws, it’s about honoring the truth that we stand where we are because they dared to move first.
Happy Columbus Day!
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