Slave to Statistics

When at last "The Little Prince" lands on planet Earth (Antoine De Saint Exupery's well-loved novel of the same title) in Chapter 16, the author cites many crazy numbers, to dramatize that this place where we live is different from other planets in the universe. 

We earthlings like to count, a habit that has become a full-blown science called Statistics.

Statistics are now indispensable in all disciplines, because they add credibility to any pursuit. We like to measure productivity or success in terms of numbers.  Statistics are undeniably useful—we are able to chart future occurrences (global warming, for instance) or behaviors based on previously gathered data. 

The trouble is, I think I may have become a slave to statistics.

Gosh, I had just blogged about my grammar affliction, and now I have another malady.   

My early symptoms: I subscribed to an electronic counter which tracks the number of my blog guests—how long they stayed, how often they returned, and where they come from.

Every day I visit this counter and it always determines my delight index. When the number of hits leaped from one (mine) to nine, my heart leaped as well.

Then two days ago—four years later—my leaping heart did a somersault over my extraordinary number—88,888!  Never mind if most of those hits were stray or a result of erroneous googles. 

Although this number is smaller than those of food, travel, dating, celebrity, and political blogs, it's still far beyond my book readers' total. How can one not get delirious?

Suddenly last Friday, Dr. Melba jolted me out of my delusion.

As our speaker at the Christian Writers Fellowship at OMF, she reminded us of our responsibilities as authors:  

"Use your gift so it can speak for those who can't speak for themselves." 

"The ability to verbalize what others can only perceive, or half understand, is a calling."

"Words can protect; words can put men on their feet."

"Writing opens windows for children."

"Writing should be used to critique abuse of power."

"Writers should stand on the side of the oppressed."

"Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with God." Micha 6:8

"Bear witness.  Writers should be like Joseph, Daniel, Esther—instruments of blessing in the diaspora."

"Many people feel there's something wrong. Writers should discern, have insight, and tell them why."

In short, writers should not count; they should write. 

Two or two thousand may read my writings—that should not bother me nor butter up my ego. 

I revisited my first post (I should do it more often) to make me remember why I decided to blog.  I wrote:   

"As you e-flip through my leaves, you'll find nothing but songs of grace. For I know deep inside of me—in  that place where I often look—everything good and potentially good, big or small, that I see, hear, smell, taste and touch are what I am keen on writing about."  

A comment came in:  "This is my first time to visit your blog. Our dear professor actually recommended it. As a graduating student who's been into a lot of stressful situations lately, your entries instantly refreshed me. And I know they always will. Expect my frequent visits, then."

Now, that one hit isn't just a number.

(Lower photo, borrowed from Ruth, second from right on second row)