On the Occasion of November 12th, 2013

When you run out of fingers, do you sit on your thumbs?  No, friend, you're a human being--that's not what they're for.  What then?  What next?  There's no use taking off your shoes--you can't move one toe at a time, so whither the count?  Bend your elbow like some switchman's signal and start again?  That's the ticket, though you've just begun to grasp the potential of such differentiation.  Every finger can signal a new start, and be one just the same--and two elbows plus ten fingers makes over four thousand.  More if you find different angles or use your joints creatively.

But if you're that creative with what you've got, you'll learn to write--and there!  Did you see that?  That mark, that jot of frustration you just spooled out with being limited to the same numerical alphabet?  Let's call that a 'one' and go from there.  Oh, you already know what a one is?  Well, excuse me!  I guess this must be a different beast, even though it looks just the same.  Is that a studypencil or a parlorpencil in your hand?  Are you sitting in a thinkingchair or a doingchair?  You can't use soupbeans in a stew--are you sure you grabbed the right beanbag?  All right, all right.  It's a one--we agree.  Give it life.  Eleven, twelve, thirteen--fine, I'll stop making things up, but just so long as you promise to keep going.  Give that one at least as much leash as its absence enjoyed.  Are you rushing forward to thirties, forties, fifties?  Fine, have your fun, but follow it with a hundred numbers that start with 'one'.  Have a number that doesn't begin with 'one'?  Just wait.  You'll have as many again that do.

One is a beginning.  Beginnings are everywhere.  They say every beginning has an end, but if you stop a moment, breathe a moment, look around a moment... they say every beginning has an end, but if you think a while you'll realize that can't be true.  Things are always beginning before others can end.  And that's why over thirty percent of numbers begin with 'one'.  Just ask Dr. Benford!  They say every beginning has an end, but...

Well, you'll get there eventually.  I'll be waiting.