Learning from History

David and Goliath

Dear Reader:

By now many of you have probably heard a news analogy between the Biblical story of David and Goliath and the horrific assault on Ukraine by Russia with two main ” characters” -David played by Ukrainian President Zelensky and Goliath-Russian President-Putin who is attempting to crush his neighboring country.

CBS reporter, Mo Rocca, met with Rabbi Steve Leder ( Los Angeles) to discuss this modern day version of ” David and Goliath.” Rabbi Leder made his personal stance quite clear. ” Zelensky is a true, courageous leader and Putin -a coward!” ( as most bullies are if cornered)

Zelensky grew up in a Russian Jewish family who were forced to carry papers tainting their citizenship status and acceptance in society-so Zelensky has known all his life how it feels to be subjugated into a lower classification of human being. Thus his strong stance and faith in democracy…

Day by day haven’t we witnessed the courage and acts of bravery play out on the evening news by men , women , and children, ordinary citizens fighting for democracy and their beloved country?

These are the thousands of Ukrainian” David’s” with their homemade weapons, their symbolic slingshots, fighting as hard as they can.

I loved Zelensky’s message to Putin: ” Even if you destroy all our cathedrals and churches -you will not destroy our sincere faith in God… in Ukraine.

When Mo Rocca questioned himself… if he could be as brave as Zelensky… Rabbi Leder simply responded” If you must… you can!”

When Zelensky was asked how he continued fighting against this ” giant ” of an enemy he quietly responded…

” We have nothing but our freedom and dignity-For us, this IS the GREATEST TREASURE!”

For almost three decades I taught the Holocaust to my eighth grade students. On the last day… to sum up how these horrors were allowed to transpire… I read the most important lesson of all.

So until tomorrow…

First Words… Then Action.

Today is my favorite day -Winnie the Pooh

During these trying days… I must go to my sanctuary ( garden) and busy myself preparing for the arrival of spring, beauty, and hope!

About Becky Dingle

I was born a Tarheel but ended up a Sandlapper. My grandparents were cotton farmers in Laurens, South Carolina and it was in my grandmother’s house that my love of storytelling began beside an old Franklin stove. When I graduated from Laurens High School, I attended Erskine College (Due West of what?) and would later get my Masters Degree in Education/Social Studies from Charleston Southern. I am presently an adjunct professor/clinical supervisor at CSU and have also taught at the College of Charleston. For 28 years I taught Social Studies through storytelling. My philosophy matched Rudyard Kipling’s quote: “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” Today I still spread this message through workshops and presentations throughout the state. The secret of success in teaching social studies is always in the story. I want to keep learning and being surprised by life…it is the greatest teacher. Like Kermit said, “When you’re green you grow, when you’re ripe you rot.”
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8 Responses to Learning from History

  1. PatriciaMcTeer Jackson says:

    Always thinking and praying for you🙏! Love you and enjoy your stories! Look forward to them every day! God is always with you and so are lots of others🥰. You are such a brave and loving person who reaches out to so many people!! Love you and always will🥰🙏🥰🙏Glad you are BETTER!

    • Becky Dingle says:

      Love you back Pat and think of you often and our old Alston days…we made fun happen there didn’t we
      Hearing from you made my day and week – have a good one!!!!

  2. Cindy says:

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the daily assault of some brave souls. I had forgotten that prose at the end. So meaningful.

    • Becky Dingle says:

      History teaches us that narcissist/paranoid tyrants will never be satisfied with one conquest – it just feeds their ego-driven desires for more, It needs to stop here, It is so hard watching this and feeling so helpless in the process,

  3. Rachel Edwards says:

    My major in college was Social Sciences and everyone of my professors stressed the i.portance of knowing history because if you don’t learn from it …you will repeat it. My Skimm app today talked about what Ukraine’s leader is asking the allies to do…which remonded me of WWII…there were things that individuals can do…for relief organizations in Ukraine…

  4. Sis Kinney says:

    Hi Becky!
    I love reading not only your blog post each day, but also, here lately, looking at your GORGEOUS flowers! That first one you posted today (the beauitiful purple thing in the pot!) and those orange what-evers – absolutely stunning! You are, of course, about six weeks ahead of us up here in the Western NC mountains insofar as spring is concerned. We have a few daffodils and crocuses popping up here and there, but there’s absolutely no way to truly “begin” the yearly gardening functions b/c our last frost date is usually Mother’s Day!! So, I’ll celebrate warmth and sunshine vicariously through your pix!!
    I pray for the Ukrainian people daily and dread the evening news now b/c of what else Putin has done. We’d totally stopped watching news several months ago due to all the political mumbo-jumbo. Now, it’s the sad state of affairs due to that megolomaniac!
    Stay healthy and warm!
    Much love,
    Sis

    • Becky Dingle says:

      Love hearing from you Sis! Summerville is all over the place with this elevator weather- 80’s today but next week calling for below freezing nights, But we have seen this play out more this year than ever …we have been warned for a long time that extreme weather patterns is the prelude to our impending climate crisis, Crazy weather,,,,but happy to see blooms still opening and garden flowers bringing me joy in this frustrating world we live in with bullies like Putin,

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