Answer:
Rich Gibson's quote is trying to communicate that life is a journey that involves both progress and setbacks. The phrase "life travels upward in spirals" suggests that we may experience ups and downs as we move forward, but ultimately we are headed in an upward direction. The underlined words "search the shadows of the past" and "tiny arc up which they climb" imply that it is important to learn from our past experiences in order to better understand our present situation and make informed decisions about the future. This connects to the main theme of the quote, which is the importance of understanding and learning from history in order to navigate the present and shape the future. This theme is similar to the concept of historical consciousness, which involves being aware of the past and its influence on the present, and using this knowledge to inform our actions and decisions.