Man's Innate Desire for Infinity - a no end game | Ọjọ́ Pelumi

Man innate desire for infinity – a no end game

“Age is just a number, I don’t care who is older or younger than me” is almost a proverb among people, mostly among the teeming ones. I guess they are experiencing the fear of growing old just as Lenrie Peters testifies in his poem. Staying young and ever agile is a good desire but a common fantasy that is almost possible. 

Methuselah lived his time; an abiku lived her time while a terminated fetus also lived its time. What matters is the longevity of these characters. Each one of them wish for a longer time to live. As for every man, life is never enough, there is no perfect moment for an end game. Man naturally desire infinity, a life that starts and never ends. Where can I start?

Definitely not from Methuselah, but from the first man that started the count of age in figure. Why not in alphabet? The answer is quite simple, the ultimate desire of man is in numeral not alphabet. There is a parallel feature of infinity shared between them. The longest alphabet in language letters is The Khmer alphabet with 74 letters. What happens after the 74th birthday celebration? Never! Life ever continues.

Record keeping can’t be more tedious, before the advent of binary counting, experiences during the nature’s abacus - hand and stick counting; Egyptian number and other developing stages of numeral record keeping prove the validation of binary, and its importance to making counting smart and ample. Hence, it quenches man’s thirst for numeral convenience to keep records of age.

If you are chance to visit the home of your grandparent that were born around late 1800s or early 1900s, they must definitely lost count of their years due to old age, but trust me, grandma and grandpa aren’t ready to pass the baton. You can take time to check solitary corner in the house, there you will find tens of count of the birthdays celebrated since the last year they remembered their age. They mostly use charcoal to draw lines that represent each completed year. 

In some primitive region in Africa, celebrants take time to mutilate parts of their body to keep record of their ages. They preferably choose flat surface such as the arm or back skin to keep this yearly record. After their demise, the family members take time to count the number of inscription so as to determine the age of the deceased.

Preferably, some people chose to link the longevity of their existence with popular local or global events that had happened around the time of their birth – of course, as relayed to them by their parent. In this type, there is usually no precision on what the age is but what is likely to be. In all quest, to keep counting is the paramount objective.

The resolute to record age in numeral is actually smart, it is a simple paradigm of what man truly desire on earth. To live ever after birth. The simple equation of numbers as evidently proven, that even in the infinity of number, it could be empty. When living is not well balanced just as numeral equation can be unbalance, then, it can easily rivet back to zero – which is an empty number. So, what truly counts in man’s existence is to make living balance and comfy. Balance your living with healthy habits which are best strategy of making life longer.

Also, to resonate in the world after death is a successful way of achieving infinity. When you live an heroic life that leaves imprints of your great personality in the lives of people around you. Abraham did not live as long as Methuselah but infinity still attach with the name “Abraham”. Jesus did not live as long as the prophets. You can say those are divine!

Alexander Pope did not live as long as most poets of his era, likewise William Shakespeare. Awolowo didn’t live longer than most politicians of his era, likewise Ken Saro Wiwa. Newton and Albert achieved their desire of infinity by being exceptional and benefactor to human race. Mandela also came and stayed with his heroic contribution to his community. Are you contributing your quota?

The smartest way to avoid the “end game” is to live everyday as important as they are. Attach purpose to every of your days and who knows, you might stay infinite.

Happy birthday to me, Ọjọ́ Oluwapelumi.