Hi, have you wondered why there are certain people
we enjoy being around? It may be difficult to
explain at first, but over time, we begin to
notice patterns. Patterns of kindness, patterns
of reliability, patterns of generosity. Maybe
it's the way someone listens, or the way they
show up when it matters. And as we notice those
patterns, something... very human, begins to
happen. We start to anticipate them. We begin
to trust them. And without realizing it, we're
doing something very mathematical. We are recognizing
patterns. Paul Lockhart once said, our brains
are biological pattern recognition machines.
to see structure. Mathematics is about structure,
about noticing patterns, how things repeat, how
they change, and how they relate. But this is
not something that only happens in a math classroom.
It happens in conversations, in relationships,
and the way we experience the world. For example,
when someone begins a familiar phrase, you also
know how it will end. Or how about when someone
responds in a certain way over time, you begin
to expect it. That is pattern recognition. And
it is something you are already doing. But of
course, we don't just notice patterns in others.
We and others begin to notice patterns in ourselves.
How we respond under pressure. How we handle
frustration. How we show up in relationships.
Sometimes those patterns are encouraging. And
sometimes they're not. But either way, recognizing
the pattern is the first step. Because you cannot
change what you do not see. So maybe the question
is not whether you're a quote math person. Maybe
the question is, whether you're paying attention
to the patterns that are already there. And once
you begin to see patterns clearly, you begin
to ask whether the patterns are healthy or not.
So my question today is, what patterns am I beginning
to notice, both in others and in myself?