4444

Four 4’s feel like a number that deserves attention. Look it up in Wikipedia and the first entry about the number 4 reveals: 

 

“Almost from prehistoric times, the number four was employed to signify what was solid, what could be touched and felt. Its relationship to the cross (four points) made it an outstanding symbol of wholeness and universality, a symbol which drew all to itself".

 

An auspicious beginning to its mythological significance. From there, there are the 4 elements—earth, water, fire and air, the 4 directions—North, South, East, West, the 4 Seasons—Winter, Spring, Summer Fall. Many songs and fairy tales have three repeated things—phrases, tasks to accomplish, wishes—and then are completed by the 4^th—the capping phrase, the marriage, the consequence. 

 

Things are less happy in the Chinese, Korean and Japanese cultures as the word for 4 is a homonym for “death” in their languages. 4444 as death-death-death-death is not something to celebrate! Unless it be the death of cruelty, ignorance, hatred, greed— I can get behind that. 

 

So why am I writing about 4444? Because this is the four thousandth, four hundred and forty fourth blogpost I have written since I began in January of 2011. (Interestingly enough, as I was about to set off on my first workshop teaching in Korea.) I’ve sometimes thought I should have a paper version of this whole project and still do. But that’s a lot of pages! If anyone wants to celebrate the occasion by printing them all out for me and binding them (probably in some 10 to 15 books), I would happily accept the gift. But I won’t be waiting for Fed Ex on my doorstep. Instead, it’s time to write 4,445.