Thinking in linear time changes our brains. Do you like history? History lovers keep a timeline in their heads. My dad loves history. He was a handy guy to have around when I had history homework. You can give my dad a date in history and he’ll tell you all about what was going on in the world at the time, what people were likely wearing, what they ate, how they got around, who were the big political players. He taught me how to research, how to use a library. When I was awarded the contract to illustrate A Prairie Dog for the President, I phoned Pop who started giving me facts about Lewis & Clark—just off the top of his head. Don’t watch a historical movie with my dad—if they monkeyed with the research he’ll take it apart!
A timeline is a foundation you can build on. If you have a general idea where the big events are on a timeline, you can add new eras and dates in their proper places. A timeline is a fantastic tool for organizing the way you think.
Happy Father’s day!
Back to the beginning of The Western Civ User’s Guide to Time & Space.