One of the unique human traits we share is the need to assign meaning to our lives. Among the many ways this occurs are the attachments we place on not only relationships with people, but to ideas, places, experiences, and objects that can transport us across time. As a public historian, I consider the preservation of archival material and artifacts a crucial duty in not only preserving the memory and history of the nation, but also a sacred bridge that helps us to make and interpret meanings by connecting us to deep reservoirs of knowledge and community.