Like many Americans, I found myself thinking about the founding of our country this past weekend. I remembered the well-known story of Benjamin Franklin leaving the Constitutional Convention. When asked what kind of government they created, he reportedly replied, "A republic, if you can keep it."

As I thought it, I realized my mind had drifted somewhere it often does, wishing I'd been born in another time.

I've heard many people say they feel they were born in the wrong time. Wishing they could have lived in another century than the one they were born. Some even believe they lived in another era before this one. That's certainly an interesting thought, and I don't know enough about it to say one way or the other. Perhaps it's true. Perhaps it's simply our hearts longing for a world that seems quieter or more familiar than the one we know.

It's a comforting thought to imagine life in another era, but when I really think about it, I have no reason to believe it would have been better. History isn't made up only of the moments we admire. I could have been born to poor farmers during the Irish potato famine, into slavery in the Roman Empire, or to a Jewish family during World War II. And even if I could somehow choose which time to live, I would still be me. I'd still have to make decisions, still be capable of trusting the wrong people, making poor choices, and learning the same hard lessons every generation has faced. Changing the century wouldn't necessarily change the person living in it.

And I suspect my enthusiasm for another century would fade when I realized hot showers were not yet a thing.

When I was a child, I loved an old cartoon about Tooter Turtle. Every episode, Tooter wanted to become someone else, or live in another place or time. His friend, Mr. Wizard, would usually try to warn him that things weren't quite as wonderful as he imagined. Tooter insisted anyway.

Before long, Tooter would find himself in all sorts of trouble. Whether he was a cowboy, a knight, or some other hero, his adventure almost always ended the same way—with Tooter desperately calling for Mr. Wizard to bring him home. Then Mr. Wizard would rescue him, and Tooter would be safely back where he started.

I've thought about that little turtle many times over the years. There have been moments when I've wanted to yell for Mr. Wizard myself, whether it was at work or a family reunion.

Maybe that's true of wishing we'd lived in another time as well. It's easy to see the charm of horse-drawn carriages, handwritten letters, beautiful craftsmanship, and a slower pace of life. It's much harder to remember the diseases, the hardships, the dangers, and the losses that people of those generations accepted as ordinary. Every age has had its blessings, and every age has carried burdens.

When I'm working on a novel, I get to spend a few months in another time. I can walk the streets of 1890 Philadelphia, ride through 1875 Colorado, or wander the forests of nineteenth-century Romania. It's the closest I'll ever come to visiting those worlds, and I treasure every minute.

Even though I love visiting the past through my stories, I live in this century. I may not have chosen when I was born, but I can choose the values I carry with me. Perhaps the best any of us can do is to bring the best qualities of those earlier times—kindness, integrity, perseverance, and craftsmanship—into the world we're living in today. I believe there is a lot more of that out there than we realize.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Is there another period in history you sometimes wish you'd been born into? If so, which one—and do you think your life really would have been different, or do you think we'd simply carry the same hopes, flaws, and challenges into another century?

If you'd like to share, just hit Reply. I read every email, and I'd enjoy hearing your perspective.

Until next time,

Helen