You Are More Than Your Numbers

“Grown-ups like numbers. When you tell them about a new friend, they never ask questions about what really matters... They ask: "How old is he?" "How many brothers does he have?" "How much does he weigh?" "How much money does his father make?" Only then do they think they know him.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The Little Prince was first published in 1943, but it's not surprising that these words by Saint-Exupéry still ring true today. It saddens me that most of the time, people (myself included) are too concerned with numbers. Numbers that pertain to paychecks, waistlines, zip codes, years spent in school, age that one should marry, and so on. However, who can blame us when we have to bring food to the table, help our families, prepare for when we have our own families, and survive in this crazy world (and under the scrutiny of other people).

Personally, I think we cross the line from being perfectly understandable to being completely annoying when we judge others based on their "numbers".  Sometimes it starts with playing a seemingly innocent rating game with our friends. You know, the one wherein we rate our friend's date from 1 to 10 (8 for being cute and smart, but not tall enough for our taste).

Then, before we realize it, we proceed with measuring the guy based on how high he is on the career ladder, how fat his wallet is, and whether he owns the latest Audi A4 or not. I'm well aware that love is not enough to pay the bills, but when did wealth and status become more significant than values, principles, and compatibility?

All of these may sound cheesy, especially in this dog-eat-dog world. I guess I'm just hoping that we get to hold on to the inner child in each one of us, the one who can see an elephant inside the boa constrictor instead of a hat.