Counting and Connection: A Reflection

Have you ever paused to think about counting? Or what it means to truly count?

There was a moment when a priest told me I didn’t count for much. But later, he noted how I articulated things, remarking that my English was a bit like programming code. It’s a funny thought, right? I guess we can all count in our own way. You, too, are made in the image of something greater, or at least that’s a comforting belief. But, being human, perhaps your counting isn’t quite God’s standard. Still, you can count through the lens of humanity.

So, are you ready to give it a shot? Do you trust yourself enough to count to ten? Maybe toss a little prayer in beforehand—just to be on the safe side!

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten.

I think that might’ve been your first attempt! It took me a lot longer—nearly four decades—to grasp this little secret. Most kids pick it up around four. You could try again, if you feel like it. Use your fingers—it might help.

Did you manage it?

It’s up to you if you want to do that again. If you did succeed, well, you can always try another round. It could even turn into a form of prayer or meditation. Think about it: who else had ten fingers? Moses, David, Jesus, Constantine, Elizabeth I, Shakespeare—you know them, right? Imagine counting them like you would your own fingers.

It’s said that caring for people on a grand scale is simply impossible. When you’re typing away or absorbing information on a screen, it’s hard to connect deeply, like really knowing the back of your hand. It’s a struggle to divide your attention effectively—your heart seems to have a limit.

This is the most genuine digital communication I can offer at the moment.

How about a little pun? Life is digital. My hands are the ones doing the typing. Two thumbs up, maybe? That’s a very human thing to say. But then again, monkeys can type too; people claim that given enough time, they could craft Shakespeare’s work. Are we, then, just coding and training an extensive language model, trying to recreate something of such grand value?

Remember the Mayan prediction? That whole end-of-the-world discussion? Well, each sunset signifies an end of sorts. When was the last time you watched one? The Mayans had their ways of counting too, in a system beyond just the ten fingers. I once counted my toes, thinking of it as twenty calendars—twenty hours, twenty days. They were probably fearful about the world ending, much like the Aztecs, who would even sacrifice children to ensure the sun found its way back every morning.

Eventually, though, Aztec prophecies came true, and Cortés took them down.

So, if you were in Cortés’s shoes, what would you do? He likely counted on his own two hands, too. Can you count to ten with your toes, one at a time? Probably a challenge, but the Mayans might’ve had that skill mastered.

People were grateful to Cortés for hitting hard against the Aztecs. But then they had to face the Mexicans, the likes of Poncho Villa. It’s a rough history. Now the cartel… that’s a whole other story. They treat lives like mere figures, just numbers on a spreadsheet.

Do you work in a cartel? Maybe not directly, but many are tied to businesses, which aren’t really people at all. They have no hands of their own. Sometimes, they’re family-run, and that could lead to a better environment for employees.

I wonder, can you even count the lives that hinge on yours? Think about the tax guy who’s surely coming around each year, reminding you of your obligations.

How many depend on you? How many lives have you impacted, perhaps without even realizing it? It’s obvious, isn’t it? You’ve unknowingly taken lives for granted. Caring for people en masse just isn’t feasible.

It’s often said that humans can’t handle more than 150 relationships at one time. That’s a lot, and yet, can you truly manage them all? Are you even human?

So, give counting to ten another shot. Think of the ten lives that matter the most to you. Use your fingers and love each one as though they’re precious. If you can find ten people you truly love, maybe you’ll sidestep some of life’s harsher fates.