Being home for Thanksgiving is sure to spark feelings of nostalgia and repeats of certain traditions. Though older traditions that you don't even remember or know the beginning of seem to be gathering dust and boredom as the years go on, there seems to remain a purpose in keeping them around. There's a different kind of light and learning that comes with hearing the stories of where these traditions began, whether on a family level or beyond.

Sitting around at Thanksgiving dinner, I was reminded of Thanksgivings past and the people who used to join us who were no longer present. The amount of knowledge that can come out of a story of experience from an older family member or friend is immeasurable. It often feels as if people are so eager to tell their own story and show off their own knowledge that they forget to listen to other people's memories, which they otherwise would never have been aware of.

A few years ago, I was introduced to Utah Phillips, an old folkie storyteller who follows the tradition of traveling from town to town working random jobs and collecting stories and songs to pass on to his audiences. He recently released two albums mixed and put together by a much younger singer/songwriter, Ani Difranco, titled "Fellow Workers" and "The Past Didn't Go Anywhere." The titles say it all. If you're ever able to listen to or see a Utah Phillips concert, the one thing you will most certainly take away from his old stories is that, in fact, the past didn't go anywhere. His tales are just as applicable today as they ever were, and perhaps even more urgent of a message in the quickening technology-driven world.

American culture strays from others significantly in that "elderly" has become almost synonymous with "needs to be placed in a nursing home." How is something so irreplaceable ignored so strongly? The sharing of knowledge is a tradition that perpetuated the culture and survival of many tribal people and early communities. It used to be that the most wise -- the elders -- were the ones who held high power in the government systems, or were otherwise highly-ranked advisors. I'm afraid that we've become a culture of amnesiacs. We choose to forget the mistakes that have been made in the past instead of learning from them. The unity so much of our country felt immediately following the World Trade Center attacks has been replaced by an overload of American flag decals and Dixie Chicks album burnings vs. "unpatriotic" peace protests. We're all still American, and we're just as different today as we were on September 11, 2001. Don't forget that feeling of unity. Our differences are what this country was founded on and what keeps it going.

Growing up, I was in awe of the 1960s. Some days, I wished so badly to have lived then and been a part of what I considered one of the most vibrant decades of U.S. history. Hearing about it from people who lived it, though, sheds an entirely new light on things. The passion that accompanied the war protests, the music, the civil rights movement and the political awakening of the youth arose out of pure necessity, and nothing more. I would never wish those troubles on anyone, and I am happy to be living in a time with so much more privilege.

The past didn't go anywhere; it's the reason I can place a vote next year to get us a better president. It's why I have the opportunity to learn from the different perspectives of male students and African-American students and others in my classes. I am thankful that we have learned some things from the past, and desperately hope the trend continues.

Maybe one day, the message I can pass onto the future will allow one of my best friends to marry the man he truly loves, or permit an African-American woman to run for president without facing the general consensus of "there's no way in hell." Next time you have to choose between seeing a speaker like Arun Gandhi in the building across the street or watching Old School for the thirty-seventh time, take the opportunity to learn something from someone who can personally teach you about one of the most influential political figures to ever live through eyes we can all relate to. Take a stand to better the future, but don't forget to learn from the mistakes of the past.