Numerology

Numerology is any belief in the divine, mystical relationship between a number and one or more coincidingevents.^[1] It is also the study of the numerical value of the letters in words, names and ideas. It is often associated with the paranormal, alongside astrology and similar divinatory arts. So states Wikipedia.

For me, it's a fun thing. Rather than belief, it's just a useful custom to have especially when one is bargaining for a good deal.

Then again, it was the good book that probably started it all. In the apocalyptic book of Revelations, the beast was given a number: 666. I first learned about this from the movie, The Omen, and it stayed with me. 

Just last week though, without meaning to, I encountered on several occasions a far more positively associated number: 888. The first moment was somewhat intended. I was at an art gallery and was discussing the price. In fact we had already settled on a price when they wanted to reopen it. So I gave the "lucky" number, which was readily accepted being a Chinese :-)

Then, I had a car booked to the airport. A most gentle and helpful driver by the name of Ismeet (yes, I do bump into quite a number of such people doing this job) and the car he drove bore the number 888.

It's been a week of travel for me, first in Johannesburg, the London, and I didn't get to scroll through my Facebook account for the usual fix of social news. And lo and behold, there was an innocuous post of how Jesus translates to this magical number of 888. By the way, it's been said the number 666 spells Nero, the evil empiror of Rome who was hell bent on persecuting Christians.

Arriving back in Singapore, I went for my usual run at the usual park at the usual time and day while M was having her usual class. I've never clocked this distance but there it was: I ran exactly 8.88kms.

Whatever your proclivities, these conjunction of coincidental appearances of the magic number is indeed unusual, at least, or it could portend something special. Well, I kind of heard the news on Friday but only confirmed that officially on Sunday. J is getting the President Scholarship which is the ultimate recognition of his first 19 years well spent (16 in Singapore, to be precise). 

So, maybe there is something in it, after all. Or maybe not. The key is to keep doing good, to do well.

love language

Trophy. As kids, we all covet them. Some even amassed a whole cabinet full of these gleaming artifacts. And then for some, the line between the trophy and what it represents (ie excellence in something) gets blurred and the trophy becomes the object of desire, not the excellent something.

M asked me last week if one's spouses should be the Best Friend. We chat a bit, especially when I drive her around on Sundays. So we get plenty of captive time to talk about just everything under the sun. My answer was of course, yes; and then went on to pose a more real world scenario, "are you gonna stay with the one who loves you or are you going back to the one you love". If this sounds familiar, it's because I lifted it verbatim from a Glenn Frey song. Of course it's fantastic if the couple are best friends but sometimes that doesn't happen and my question then becomes relevant.

I am fortunate in this aspect. D is not just my Best Friend, she's also my rock. Not in an anchoring sense where she fixes me to a point but in a paperweight sense where she keeps me from floating around carelessly. One example of how she does this is when she introduced me to the different Languages of Love.

Image from Quotesgram.com

Some feel loved when presented with the words. Some prefer gifts. Quality time is important for some. Others like the intimacy of touch. And then there are acts.

Earlier this week, as I cleaned up my computer, I accessed a folder I had not opened for nearly 6 years. It contains correspondences with M, J and D. In fact, most of it for J. And it then hit me that I have been using this particular language with him because as we all know boys are not known to be loquacious, especially with their own dads. So penning down my thoughts was the most pragmatic way of communicating. There are less notes to M. With her, it's more verbal: a twist of the language of words, with a dose of quality time.

That said, the language that really conveys our intentions must be that of action. That's D's language. Yes, I do enjoy her notes to me (she'd write maybe a longish email once a year esp when I am on away for a stretch), but like both M & J, it's her acts that show her love for us.

D is now writing her next chapter after years spent in devotion to taking care of the family. I am indeed lucky. For she is much more than a trophy. She is excellent. 

A purposeful run

D is pivoting now to her next chapter. And as with all her past pursuits, it's always something meaningful, deeply so.

To celebrate her purposeful next step, M and I decided to run for her. We recorded more than 10kms each. 

As a family we have participated in Run for Hope, notably for cancer patients, a couple of times before.   So, this Run for Purpose is new for us. What's wonderful is that we both ran longer for Purpose and for D this time!

Screen grabs from Runkeeper app

And to top it all, we set records. Farthest distance run, longest distance run. And this is after tracking all my runs for the past 2 years since August 2014. Purposeful, indeed!

All history is geography (at a more personal level)

History was my favourite subject in school, but I didn't think it was taught properly: too much emphasis on dates instead on events. Truly, almost all the events were initiated by men and women who wanted a better geographic condition (whether to secure, extend their lands and the people on the lands they live on).

In school, I felt that I understood geography intuitively. I liked knowing about new landscapes and new weather patterns. Living in Malaysia where it's always green, hot and wet, my vivid imagination got excitedly enriched with descriptions of deserts, winters, minerals and new tribes of people. I still love it today, which accounts for my wanderlust and penchant for old maps.

Image from Wikipedia; Ortelius' map of the world circa 1570

J and M are both naturally good in geography too. Guess they did get something from their Dad. More importantly, this talent of theirs became real because they inherited their Mum's drive and tenacity. Indeed, in a recent chat, I was telling her of three traits that propelled many to the TOP: talent, tenacity and team. To which, she quoted the old African proverb, "if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together".

Teaming is a difficult trait to develop. Because it involves others, and especially in a school setting where the others are almost always one's peers or superiors. J and M, because of their personalities (and a little bit be used of their birth sequence) have developed different styles to work with their teams. J takes on the toughest, heaviest load himself (both metaphorically and literally) and through example he leads his team. M is the empowering sort: she shapes a shared vision and enables others to do their thing. Whether commanding or empowering, I have no doubt they will continue to hone their teaming styles in their own unique way.

I may have talked more about teaming. That said, all three traits are essential. Talent without tenacity is unfulfilled potential. Tenacity without talent is aimless and at worst can be manipulated by the wrong leaders. Those who shape history have these three traits in abundance. When we read about these historical figures, it's almost like their lives were preordained and their place in history predestined. 

The Bible tells us of three virtues: faith, hope and love which are infused into our souls along with sanctifying grace at the sacrament of baptisms. But what are these virtues in day-to-day on-the-ground terms. Those who have talent tend to be the most hopeful ones, because they have the potential. Those with tenacity have faith, because they know that by working harder, going further, they will reach their goal. And those who team well will need to always be giving and receiving love, that caring, kind selfless giving to each other. So, there you have it, these three traits are manifestations of having the three virtues. St Paul wrote that in the end, these three abides and the greatest of these is Love.

Love is first and foremost found at home. Then it has to spread out, to all our teams: in school, in sports, in the workplace and in the community, converting schoolmates, teammates, colleagues, customers and neighbours into friends and families.

Those who understand this, and have the talent and tenacity to drive their vision through are those who get closer to the TOP and I don't mean just TOP of this world, but that of the divine too.