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Just the same as I look back in history with wonderment and nostalgia of our ancestors, I wonder forward into generations that are our distant descendants as well.

There are entire civilizations and peoples that have come and gone. Above is a painting of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec city 500 years ago that was “discovered” by the Spanish, who had London, Rome and Paris already, and this city was far larger than anything they had ever known. That city and culture lasted for an unknown amount of time, and is forever lost into the imagination.

The Romans lasted nearly 2,000 years. The Chinese and Japanese have been even longer. The Sumerians were the first known civilization, so far as we can tell.

Among my wonderings is one of my most compelling ideas. I am constantly wishing I was born in a time that was from the past, while I enjoy all of the comforts of the current day.

There is no doubt in my mind, that someday in a future so far that I can hardly imagine.. where there will be humans that wish that they had lived in ancient times when people were still on earth.

There will be stories, photos, legends passed down just the same as I grasp at the legends of old, about warriors and mountain men and ancient rituals. Maybe there will even be religions regarding another great flood, and the gods coming down among men to teach them the way of humans once again.

I think, someday, people will be living somewhere, with the awareness that there was a time when they lived on planet earth, and there will be people that look back with reverence at the humans that had the privilege to experience it while it was still the birthplace of humanity. There will be people that have been born somewhere else for generations, and we would’ve been the original humans to them.

And many times, when I think this way, In the grand scheme of things I realize that I too am in the “good old days” or the “ancient times”. To someone, somewhere, my time will be cause for grand amazement too.

I travel through life with a certain set of predispositions that I’m not entirely sure I am in control of mentally.

I have an incessant urge to provide for and to protect those who I care for.

Among these comes thoughts like this - whenever I leave the house, sometimes I am driving one car or the other, and my wife stays home. I will always make sure that I don’t have both sets of keys on me, so that whatever car I am driving, my wife has access to the other one, in the case of an emergency.

I carry a fanny pack with everything in it when I’m traveling around with my wife. I always have my phone and my keys in my pocket on my physical person, in the event that the fanny gets stolen or lost, we always have a way to contact someone, and to get to safety regardless of the circumstance.

I walk on the side of the street that is most dangerous. I carry all heavy things for her. I face the door and count the exits in whatever building we’re in together. While she’s talking, I am scanning. I always have a plan of escape and a plan for offense or defense. I like to make sure the cars both have over a half tank of gas in them. I don’t let her pump the gas in cities we’re unfamiliar with. When I open the door to a building for her, it’s not only out of respect and courtesy, I get the first look at what’s going on inside before she has to face an unknown. I watch the garage door go all the way down before I leave the driveway to ensure nobody snuck in behind me. I don’t sit in parking lots with the car door unlocked. I turn on the sound on my phone when I am walking the dog or away from home to be completely available for an emergency.

There is an endless amount of little daily practices I am not sure if she notices. Honestly I hope she doesn’t. Living like this is completely normal for me and seems to be factory installed inside of the mind of a man. At least for me that’s how it is. For her to be burdened with all these thoughts and awareness would probably scare her and I’m happy to take that mental load for the both of us.

I think these little things are a man’s way of expressing love, caring for, and providing for his family. Providing isn’t always financial. It’s a way of providing peace of mind, safety, security, and comfort for your loved one.