The development of a place happens in stages, with each stage building upon the outcomes of the previous one. >The first species to arrive are fast-growing “weedy species,” such as lichens or small annual plants, which create the first layers of soil as they decompose. These plants also provide habitats for small animals and other forms of life. These plants are replaced by grasses and shrubs, which shade out the first colonizers and alter the soil further, before large trees and more shade-tolerant species replace the community of sun-loving grasses and shrubs. Each community may support different collections of animal species. --[Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/science/ecological-succession) For me, this is a rich metaphor for other kinds of development, be it within the life of a person or across the history of an institution or a culture. When we're tempted to judge those who came before us, we may overlook that the existence of our own perspective depends on what they accomplished. >When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years. --attributed to Mark Twain Related: - [[Forgive your parents]] - Standing on the shoulders of your enemies - [The Lindy effect](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindy_effect)