The universe is an amazing place, but what I think of as one of the most fascinating marvels may seem quite commonplace to most people.When I think that God came up with the idea of water, I am awed. Have you ever sat by a river and just contemplated the nature of water? Who would have thought of such a thing?
There is a color in water at certain times in certain places that is my favorite color. I don't have a name for it. It's not really blue, and it's not really green, and it's not really blue-green. It's translucent and sort of aquamarine but not quite aquamarine either. It's bright but not flashy; it has depth, but it's not dark. I know it when I see it, but it is not something I can always find when I go out looking for it.
I guess that's the way with a lot of things in life. The best things are often the things that show up by surprise and take your breath away but can't necessarily be found when you seek them out.
2 comments:
Hi Heidi,
Are you sure you shouldn't be a writer instead of trying to do that math stuff??? "The Color of Water" was so well written, I could actually "see" the river water flowing.
Paula
Thanks Paula! Writing is actually one of the outcomes I have in mind in pursuing this degree . . . writing about math!
In almost every other area I can think of, everyone has access to the beauty there. A person who lacks the talent to draw a stick figure can still enjoy a beautiful painting. One need not be a scientist to revel in the beauty of nature, and one can enjoy a concert with no knowledge of how to play an instrument.
There is similar beauty in mathematics (believe it or not!!), but for the most part it is only accessible to trained mathematicians. I would like to write a book that would present mathematics as an art gallery or a symphony that anyone can access and enjoy.
I do have a couple of ideas for works of fiction as well.
Um . . . as I was writing that last sentence I realized that to many a book making math fun sounds like fiction!
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