Philosopher George Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Whether individuals are foolish or wise, studying episodes in their history provides them with valuable lessons. By unraveling their memories, people can draw wisdom from previous mistakes and safeguard their future. James McBride exemplifies this notion when he weaves together his mother Ruth's old days and his new world in his memoir The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother. Through James's search for his mother's legacy as a struggling biracial child, McBride portrays the strength of Ruth as she endures social and economic hardship while raising twelve biracial children. Despite Ruth's reticence about her painful upbringing, the author reveals that her past guides her present behavior and strengthens her to overcome the challenges of building her children's future. Crucially, Ruth's Jewish immigrant heritage builds her core beliefs that self-sufficiency and education lead her children to thrive. success. Ruth remembers working in her father Tateh's shop during her childhood in Suffolk: "We worked there from morning to night, except for school, and Tateh had programmed us for that" (McBride 41). Ruth's Jewish immigrant parents discipline Ruth with an unyielding work ethic by running the family business in their spare time and completing tasks between clients. . Therefore, Ruth develops self-reliance. As a result, this part of the story has a profound influence on Ruth's parenting skills as she knows no other ways to raise her children other than the education she received from her Jewish family. Ruth cannot ignore her story entirely, instead, she instills the value of independence and discipline in her children. Additionally, Ruth embraces education... at the heart of the card... affection and loyalty to her children and their future. As a result, although Ruth protects her children from her painful past, she reconciles her experiences and becomes a wiser and stronger mother to raise her fulfilled children. Ruth's memories reveal a mother's triumph in providing an optimistic outlook for her children. Likewise, when people reflect on their past, especially defeat and agony, they can gain wisdom by understanding how problems developed and how people dealt with them. These reflections also help people understand who they are today and where they will go tomorrow. Lessons from the old days can enable them to adapt their current behaviors and achieve their goals in a brighter perspective. Works Cited McBride, James. The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother. New York: Riverhead Books, 1996. Print.