A PI DAY SALUTE

365 DAYS OF THANKSLIVING — DAY 104

Today is the day for geeks around the world to unite, because only a true nerd would find a reason to party over a mathematical constant. March 14—written as 03/14—translates to the beginning of 3.1415926535….

To honor the world’s nerds—a group I proudly claim membership in—my wife and I will be enjoying apple pi à la mode tonight after a succulent supper of ham, green beans, and cheesy taters. One needs serious comfort food when a blizzard is knocking on the door, don’tcha know?

In all seriousness, without those whose IQs dwarf that of the everyday Joe (or Jane), we wouldn’t have the advanced mathematics, mind-tripping technology, or medical breakthroughs we take for granted. Just consider the brilliance of Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, Stephen Hawking, Mae Jemison, and Elon Musk. They didn't just think outside the box; they redesigned the box entirely.

While the Bible doesn't use the word "nerd," I’m convinced a few of our heroes fit the bill perfectly. Joseph, the son of Jacob, was a master of logistics and macroeconomics, managing the entire food supply of Egypt during a global crisis. Matthew, the former tax collector, was the ultimate "numbers guy"—highly literate and meticulous with records. Then there’s Luke, the physician and man of science, and Daniel, the "valedictorian" of the Exile who mastered the literature and language of the Babylonians.

I know this is a bit of a silly post, but today I am genuinely thankful for the nerds of the world. My childhood BFF, Pete, was one—and likely still is. Pete loved rocks, Dungeons & Dragons, and model-making. He rocked one of the earliest Tandy Color Computers (64K of pure power!). Like any self-respecting nerd in the 80s, he tuned into the Dr. Demento Show every Sunday evening.

Today, Pete is a genius PhD geologist working for the USGS. For his dissertation, he studied the aerosolization of volcanoes to see how military weapons might behave similarly. That is some radically nerdy, high-stakes science! I still love that guy, even though life has kept us apart for over 20 years.

Here’s the point. Nerds are people, too. Throughout history, they have made massive contributions to our world. And being people, they are made in the image of God: our Lord, who created “life, the universe, and everything.” (If you caught that last reference without Googling it, I see you, fellow nerd! Towel's in the mail.) So tonight, cut yourself a slice of pie, hold it high, and give a salute to the nerds in our universe. Without them, we’d still be staring at the stars instead of reaching for them.