The Numbers Game

Ever get tired of statistics? All through school, as a child, as a teenager, and then on into adulthood, we have been judged in reference to our knowledge by a letter or number grade. Check this out. A straight-A student all of the sudden loses time at school because of being sick or some other distraction. He or she drops to a "C." Does that mean they are any less smart?

I graduated High School with a 1.47 GPA. Shortly after graduation I developed (for some strange reason) a love to read. I was reading everything. One year later I took a test to get into the army. I qualified for any job in U.S. Army Intelligence that I wanted. I chose Morse Code Intercept. I graduated High School in 1981 with absolutely no interest in continuing on with education. Why? Because I was scared to death of the numbers. 27 years later, in 2008 I enrolled in a college program through Colorado technical University. I graduated with an Associates Degree in Business Administration, with a 3.79 GPA. I'm currently going after my Bachelors in Criminal Justice and so far my GPA is 3.67 (and will be a 3.8 by graduation).

Numbers, numbers, numbers. Average life expectancies. Cancer patients have _____ many months to live. You only got a B? What the hell's the matter with you kids? Speed limits. Money. Your net worth. God forbid you're a minute late to work...,they'll dock you ten minutes.

Society measures everything with statistics. Progress cannot be taking place if today's numbers aren't better than yesterday's.

What ever happened to just being oneself? What ever happened to just being happy? How long will this go on? We'll hold our breath. Maybe someday life itself won't be measured. Maybe stress levels will drop when we stop worrying so much about numbers.

I'd write more but the clock just struck 6:30. I must go weigh out my 6 ounces of meat and so many vegetables and be sure to drink my 8 ounce glass of milk and my 6th bottle of water today. My weight was 8 pounds heavier at my last doctor's visit and at my 6'2" height I must be careful if I wish to live to my 80s. Yes, indeed..., I must go win the numbers game.