When Numbers Start Talking

Transforming an ordinary moment into a conversation

Yesterday morning, I did something that doesn’t come naturally to me.

I got out of the house early enough to beat the blazing Mediterranean sunshine.

That may not sound like much, but I’ve never been much of a morning person since moving to Israel, so I gave myself a quiet pat on the back as I headed out for a walk. I climbed the 500 steps to the top of Mount Carmel, reached the Merkaz, turned right at the Dan Panorama Hotel, and continued along Hanassi Boulevard’s hotel row, passing the one and only Japanese art museum in the Middle East, and onwards to a favorite cafe to meet a friend. By the time I returned home, I was feeling energized and pleased with myself.

Then I glanced at my pedometer. It read 6.666 kilometers. I stopped and laughed.

The number caught my attention immediately because of my age. As I write this, I am 66.6 years old.

I’ve heard all sorts of things said about three sixes over the years, some ominous, some mystical, some downright silly. None of that particularly in…