As always, since Wisdom and Life falls on a Monday where there is a day of remembrance, today is day to recall the accomplishments and foils of Christopher Columbus.  In the past several years, his achievements have been overshadowed by many of the transgressions he has been accused of. When we consider Christopher Columbus, we shouldn’t discount his misdeeds either. 

 

When I went to Southern Connecticut State University, I read a book called:
Admiral of the Ocean Sea an amazing book by Samuel Eliot Morison.  It’s a book I highly recommend.  Clicking the Amazon link for Admiral… will bring you to my Amazon account.  If you purchase the book through MY link, I will benefit.

 

Image from:
Wikipedia

While he is celebrated for finding the North American Continent, was he REALLY the first person?  And did he really set foot on the North American Continent? Maybe not:
He DID reach Cuba and Haiti.  But actual North America?  That’s debatable.

 

There have been stories of the Norsemen, Leif Eriksson, especially arriving in in North America long before Columbus.  So who discovered North America? And can something be discovered that was already present?  Native Americans were here before Norseman, so can’t it be said that they discovered North America?  

 

Now here are the challenges with celebrating Columbus:
He brought disease to North America.
He enslaved the people he met when he landed in Hispaniola.

 

Whether Columbus is celebrated or pilloried, he journeyed across the ocean when no one thought it was possible.  His original intent, to discover Asia never materialized, however before he turned 45 he led four treacherous trips across the Atlantic Ocean in wooden ships.  Am amazing feat in that time period.

 

Christopher Columbus has been celebrated for years by Europeans and those who followed him to the “New World.”  It’s like the old saying:
History is told by the victors.  

 

What of the defeated?  Thankfully, we have stories passed down which is why we know of the Columbus misdeeds.  So the question is:
Will the REAL Christopher Columbus please stand up?
Who is the REAL Christopher Columbus?

 

That question may never be fully answered.

 

Be Happy!  Be Well! Be Positive!
Blessings to you.

Chris

Once you realize that life is eternal,
That our souls our eternal,
That we return to light and physical over and over;

We then lose all our distress
We then lose all our fear of dying.  For there truly is no end.

 

Look for a traditional column next week.

 

1 Comment

  1. Roy A. Ackerman, PhD, EA

    So, if he never made it to North America, how do you blame him for bringing European diseases there?
    And, it can never be omitted that the funds for his voyages were pilfered from the Jews of Spain; the ones banished, tortured, and often killed by Isabella and Ferdinand- in the name of their religion and church.

Leave a Reply to Roy A. Ackerman, PhD, EA Cancel reply

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