It is Pi Day.
Pi. Its recipe is a brilliant one.
First, Pi — which is written as the Greek letter for p, or π—is the ratio of the circumference of any circle to the diameter of that circle. That’s it.
Regardless of the circle’s size, tiny little, or whopping big, this ratio will always equal pi. In decimal form, the value of pi is approximately 3.14.
3.1415926535 8979323846 2643383279 and on. And on. On. On.
You see, Pi is an irrational number. That doesn’t mean it will light a match near a gasoline can.
No. It means that Pi is a real number that cannot be expressed by a simple fraction. Silly Pi. And, if you ask me, there is no such thing as a simple fraction, but I am lame in the ways of mathematics.
Anyway. Pi is what mathematicians call an “infinite decimal.” This concept I understand. After the tiny black dot, the digits go on forever and ever.
And wouldn’t you know? Pi Day is also Albert Einstein’s birthday.
Not that he had anything to do with pi.
Pi started long before Albert was even a twinkle in his parents’ eyes. Ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes of Syracuse, who lived in the third century B.C., is the man who made the first calculation of pi. He is renowned for being the greatest mathematician of the ancient world.
But what about Albert? He came to this world in 1879, on today’s date. March 14, or in the words of pi — 314.
But who could make such a brilliant human? Well. His Mom and Dad, of course.
His Mom was Pauline Koch. She lived from February 8, 1858, to February 20, 1920. She came from Württemberg, and her family was Jewish. Pauline Einstein was well-educated. She had a quiet demeanor and also had a love for the arts. But, as most women did in those days, her daily charge was filled with household duties. And when she was done, she played the piano and did it well. A music lover, she made Albert begin with violin lessons at the age of five. She was known for her great patience. And, of course, the egg that became Albert.
The sperm? Well, that was Hermann Einstein. Albert’s Dad. Born on August 30, 1847, also in Wuerttemberg, he lived until October 10, 1902. Yes, he died 18 years before his wife. After he died, Pauline moved in with her sister, and in her final days, she lived with Albert.
Back to Hermann. At 14, he started showing a great interest in math. He liked learning, and as such, he attended secondary school in Stuttgart. But. His parents struggled financially. So he quit his studies and decided to become a merchant. He ended up starting an electrical engineering company with his brother. In the long run, the company faced trouble, and Hermann constantly worried about money. All this stress eventually caused his heart to go ka-pow. And that was the end of Hermann.
But. Hermann and Pauline were a pair. I’m not sure how they met. Probably in some dark corner in a swanky German pub., Or perhaps in the market, grabbing for the same piece of veal to make Wienerschnitzel. No matter. The point is they got together and got busy, making a total of two kids. The other was Maria “Maja” Einstein, Albert’s younger sister.
Incredibly, thousands of ancestors came before them. An endless line of links, all coming together at just the right moment, to eventually result in the birth of a brilliant Albert.
And just like pi with its infinity of digits? So are all those endless connections, in just the right order, at just the right time. Not only for Albert but for me and you too.
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“Your greatest awakening comes, when you are aware about your infinite nature.”
― Amit Ray
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“We are like islands in the sea, separate on the surface but connected in the deep.”
― William James
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“Invisible threads are the strongest ties.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
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It is more than half-baked. The recipe HAD to be perfect.
