Think About It. Who Do You Think You Are? When you were nearing your teen years and “getting a little too big for your britches”, did anyone ever ask, “Who in the world do you think you are”? Did you go sulk or seriously ponder the question? Consider the diamond. 
No matter what you believe about the beginning, as well as we can tell it started with one. That’s the point, the first creature with the qualities that are now recognized as what we call human. They would include the ability to walk upright and possession of an opposable thumb, primary distinguishing characteristics for these newly advancing primates. From there, the histories of progress (if that’s what you call it) get a little murky.
The first in a continuum of diasporas saw these “people” begin to verbalize information of past experience and pass it on to future generations as they moved from place to place. Of course they were always in search of food, fleeing from terrorists or seeking better weather to escape the ever threatening Global Climate Change. That started with the brilliant inventor of fire. Then came the wheel . And look what that has caused.
Back to progress. Away they went. After Africa became the home of mathematics, astronomy, tools, animal domestication and cutting tools, their sometimes involuntary dispersal began. With modes of transportation improving, Marco Polo’s travels taught Europeans about China where we learned of the benefits of explosives which we need for more efficient wars. After Christopher Columbus didn’t fall off the earth looking for a short way to India, Ferdinand Magellan circumnavigated the globe, no doubt losing a crewman in some far land occasionally. But it was Amerigo Vespucci who gave his name to the nation most of us call home.
Blood was lost in wars for independence, for conquest and later, to prevent being one of the dominoes falling as aggressors marched across country after country in our direction. Many American soldiers returned with “war brides” adding a new flavor to food and culture, and new blood to our body politic.
Just like “in the beginning” our American progenitors begat and begat and begat until there was you. You are something special. You are one of a kind, like a diamond. And that’s the point. Now you have an answer the next time someone asks, Who do you think you are? Think About It.
