Pi has been very interesting to me ever since I first heard of it. It was this puzzle hidden in plain sight. It was this immeasurable enigma of basic geometry. During my early twenties, the growth of a brain tumor inspired a journey of self-discovery in which I would address issues like my perspective of God and his, her, or its creation. Through this analyzation of my world, I gained a new appreciation for the natural beauty that grows in abundance in nature. It was my conclusion that the study of this world, God’s creation, was an indirect study of God him, her, or itself. Math was present everywhere. Then there was that number. That seemingly infinite ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. If the study of nature was the study of God, if geometry was the product of God’s artistic touch, then Pi, a result of math’s effect on the perfect shape, was God’s signature. It was God’s Easter egg, left for us to find to gain a peek at him.
I currently spend my weekends working at a homeless shelter in my home-town of Austin, Texas. Today I met a man with a rather sad story. He had suffered great personal loss and injury in recent history and was currently experiencing memory “black-out”s as a result. We engaged in conversation as he helped me clean my area. He spoke mostly from a state of anxiety. I explained my philosophy that there is no point in being anxious over something we cannot control. The response his body language echoed seemed to be coming from a state of perceived helplessness. It was “If only…”, “If only it were so simple”…”If only I could”. We discussed his problem more and my response was, on at least one occasion, “What can you do about that?”. I was simultaneously calling him to take any action he could to help himself and release the illusion of control and anxiety over aspects of the issue he could not fix. Such a release is easier said than done for most of us.
As we cleaned, I felt as though he were, in some form, God. Not that he was God in human form or anything like that, but perhaps God-sent. He cleaned with me and I felt a connection, a oneness with the higher power via our concerted effort. I assisted the man in every way I could. I made sure he knew I was willing to help if he needed anything else. Shortly before we parted ways, I noticed a single tattoo on his wrist. He said the tattoo was more of a joke than the product of anything sincerely meaningful or profound. He explained that “Pi” was a brand of cologne he liked.
Still, it was God’s signature on this man via whom I felt this cosmic connection to God. This, to me, was God telling me I was in the right place, on the right path. This was a God Easter egg. I found it!
Author Phil Force 