I was listening to NPR's TED Radio Hour with Guy Raz. I love this series and one of my favorite episodes played March 6, 2015 titled, Solve For X.
In one of the segments Roz is talking to Randall Munroe about using math. Munroe, trying to make math interesting to a high school class had an epiphany. It isn’t so much that math is beautiful unto itself, it’s the answers it can get you to...
So in his physics class he asked his students, “How much energy did it take Yoda to lift Lukes’ X Wing out of the swamp (using the Force) on Dagobah in Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back?" This created an fervor and the class started asking how much did the X Wing weigh, what’s the gravity on Dagobah, how high did Yoda lift it and they rushed ahead of him to start solving the problem.
I was never all that good at math, music was my passion. But when I was in 1st or 2nd year of college I took a Logic class (which uses a lot of math) and it struck me very different than any algebra, geometry, or physics class I had ever attended. This opened my eyes to the realization that music is all about math and I went on to study contemporary 20th Century orchestral music and electronic music. The way math was used to create music spoke to me and changed the way I’d understand and interpret life forever.
Once in a while, when I take pause to look back, I sometimes wonder if I’m a wandering minstrel. I was ordained that by my 6th grade social studies teacher, Mr. Bradshaw. There are those days when I relate to this photo of me like nothing ever changed. I do life like a toddler, just making it up as I go. I'm often so engaged with what's in front of me I'm totally unaware my back flap is down.
My point is I’ve come to know a few things about myself over the years. After all, I’ve been hanging around me way more than anyone else. When it comes down to it, I’m an explorer and the great joys in life have been the discoveries along the way. I love the journey. For me, life turns out best when I simply choose the path with heart and don't over think it.
I love this mention by Mel Robbins, author, life coach, and radio show host, during her TED Talk... “Scientists calculate the probability of your existing as you, today, are about 1 in 400 trillion.” That’s (4 X 10 to the 14th power)...
Back flap up or down, that’s an impressive figure I say.
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