Hello, Melanie,
In your recent letter to me, you told me most of your life story. Thank you for that. I read the whole thing. All 792 pages.
You mentioned that you were “screwed up” more than a few times. I won’t cite examples because your words to me are private, but I had to write you back.
I know your parents’ divorce has been hard. And I know you’ve been going through a lot, getting ready for college.
But I don’t think you’re screwed up. Actually, I think you’re swell. I would even add that you’re pretty cool. Also, your letter weighed 42 pounds.
If you ask me, being “screwed up” is just a matter of perception. Have you ever seen 1,000 identical store bought tomatoes? They’re completely uniform, they have no personality, and they taste like red clay dirt.
But homegrown tomatoes? They’re misshapen, multi-colored, lopsided, and totally screwed up. And everyone knows lopsided tomatoes taste like heaven.
People are the same way. We humans are complex, uniquely shaped biological beings, capable of incredible feelings, empathy, wit, kindness,
and unbelievable body odor.
Here’s something. In only a few millionths of a second, a human brain can compute the trajectory and velocity of a speeding softball aimed at its face.
I bring this up because you mentioned that you played first base on your softball team in your letter. I think on page 349.
Well, it only takes an average ballplayer’s brain five gazillionths of a millisecond to send electrical impulses to his or her arm to make that important catch.
That’s not screwed up. That’s a scientific wonder.
Since we were talking about baseball, do you know what I think is interesting? This: who invented baseball? And I don’t mean which PERSON invented it. I’m talking in a big-picture kind of way.
Because here’s what I know. Baseball didn’t just appear out of nowhere. A flock of people…