I have a habit of reading the Wikipedia each day to find out what happened on this day in history. I find it to be a rich source of cultural and historical knowledge.
Much of it is battles and conquests. For example, the only three events listed for the 11th century are:
- 1009 – Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah demolishes the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
- 1016 – Cnut the Great completes his conquest of England in the Battle of Assandun.
- 1081 – Byzantine–Norman wars: The Normans defeat the Byzantine Empire in the Battle of Dyrrhachium.
Pretty dark stuff. Yet interspersed with all of the killing there are gems that uplift the spirit. For example, today in history Moby Dick was published, the BBC was founded, the first transistor radio was announced, and the very first human-made spacecraft landed on the planet Venus.
Sometimes I will learn about something completely new and unexpected. When that happens I might do a deep dive, spending the next hour or so happily exploring some fascinating cultural topic.
I highly recommend this practice. It will enrich your life, and quite possibly put a spring in your step.