Points and Numbers

While I was on hold waiting for a conference call last week, I almost got lost in the music that played for those several minutes.  As I listened I remembered more and more about the piece, because it was one that  I played when I was in high school.  It was one of my favorites, a difficult piece (at least it was hard for me).    As I thought more about it I realized it was Rachmaninoff -- the Prelude in g minor.  Here is a link to someone on YouTube playing it (probably infinitely better than I ever could -- but I don't know that she ever enjoyed any more than I have).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QB7ugJnHgs&feature=related

If you take a moment to skip over and watch the performance and if you get lost in music, as do I, then maybe you will understand my unexpected pleasure when I got a few minutes to sit on hold and just do nothing except listen to that exquisite music.  A total gift for me alone.

See the thing about music is that it is all about numbers and how everything is related to each other.  They are notes on scales and they move around, in combination, creating harmony or contrast, and rhythm -- also about numbers and relation and space.  The ear hears it and the brain interprets it, sensing all sorts of things.  (I actually associate colors with certain keys -- but that's another story.  I've had discussions with other musicians about the topic, and apparently I'm not totally crazy.)

But numbers mean other things to people, too.  Sometimes people think that if there is an idea or belief that the majority of the people hold, then it must be true.  I do not subscribe to this notion; neither did Galileo, Copernicus, nor Columbus.  I am perfectly comfortable being in the minority when I believe I am right about something.  It may be that its time to be proven true has not yet come to pass.

When this really becomes important to me is in two areas.  The first is in individual rights that are -- and should be -- protected under the U.S. Constitution.  If we allowed people to vote on the rights of others, then only those those curried favor with the majority would ever be protected.  Unpopular minorities could be locked away forever.  The beauty of our Constitution and the wisdom of our Supreme Court have recognized that certain things should not be put to a vote.

The second area is religion and morality.  That, too, is not something that other people get a vote on or that is subject to what other people think.  Other people do not have a say, or to quote a wise child, "You're not the boss of me."  For too many people religion and morality is all about numbers and keeping score -- for other people.  They keep track of the injuries other people have inflicted on them, and of the shortcomings of their fellow humans.  I am not worried about the numbers when it comes to religion or morality.  They are irrelevant in my construct.  To my way of thinking The Supreme Being is an Immutable Force -- Never Changing.  If anyone needs to change, it is I.  I am not responsible for anyone else out there.

My change is not to go from any one point to any other point -- Point A to Point B, or even Point Z.  As Frankie put it, we are to go from Point A to Point God.  Well said, Sir.  Thank you for that nugget of gold. 

And I might add, that sermon was delivered by Frankie on 10.10.10, the mark of perfection in some judging guides.