History is a cyclic poem written by time upon the memories of man.

The past does not simply happen and end; it keeps returning in new forms, like verses of a long poem that repeat their themes with variations. Rises and falls, cruelties and recoveries recur because the same human tendencies drive them. And what gets carried forward depends on what people remember, which is itself shaped by the passing of years.

When something in the news or in your own family seems unprecedented, ask where you have seen its pattern before. Remembering the earlier version will not stop it, but it can help you recognise the stage you are in and what tends to come next.