Prestige and Fame

Number eight is such a beautiful vibrant green color. I like it because it is interesting to look at and is an eye popping addition to anything imaginable. The green is bright and deep but I would not describe it as neon or dark green. It is also extremely attractive due to the fact that it has a serious, down-to-earth attitude weaved into the greenish tones. This is the kind of green that has a job to do and will get it done against all odds. I much prefer such a shade of green than the wobbly kinds that lack any substance or solidity. Green of this sort is highly intellectual and prestigious. If I were to compare the green itself to a commonly seen green, I might liken it to the shade of green on the John Deere logo or of a luscious, well-cared for front lawn. From now on, when I say “green” I am referring specifically to this particular shade and tone of green.

The number eight is green at its very core and green is eight at its very core. You cannot separate the two. I cannot fathom to think about the number eight without green, let alone think of it as a different color altogether. This is unlike many other numbers like the number nine, which much be a certain shade and brightness but whose exact color may change with the context. Not so with eight. Not only is eight special in that it has an exact set-in-stone color, but it is one of only two or three numbers where such a statement can be flip flopped.  By that I mean that I cannot think of green without the number eight. They are completely interchangeable.

Eight is a larger number and therefore requires that it be thought of in a prestigious way. But it is also the lowest value of the larger numbers. The shape of the number is continuous and rounded. The rounded nature of the number along with its unique value adds to the vibrancy is the green it carries. It is also continuous when you write the number which adds to the determined and serious attitude it displays. Eight is the number of the suite and tie.

I really admire the attitude and personality of eight.  I think a person would do well to learn from it. It’s a lot like the quote by Thomas A. Edison, “The three things that are most essential to achievement are common sense, hard work, and stick-to-it-iv-ness”.  That’s what eight is all about. It is the person who works hard and holds the right to be proud of where they end up because they got there by their own efforts, not by luck, politics, or another’s help. What is there to be proud of when what you are proud of has been handed to you on a silver platter?

However, eight can also be a slippery slope. Eight often forgets where to put priorities. It wants to function by itself apart from all the other numbers; but what fun is an equation that contains only one number? It will go nowhere. Eight can be a very dangerous number to fall into the trap of isolation because it is so prestigious that once it has been isolated, it may not realize right away that deterioration is taking place. Often, by the time this revelation comes to be, the damage is nearly irreversible. Sure, the greenish number is still every bit as prestigious and glamorous as before, but the focus has been shifted to self-meaningful priorities. Every number will find its purpose from a source outside itself. Eight may be prone to forget this because the luscious prosperity resulting in all that hard work has a way of lying to its creator; making one believe that the creator can rely entirely on the creation for meaning and purpose.  This then leads to a fruitless quest for satisfaction and fulfillment.

The best summary of the number eight that I can think of is the well-known saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”. This is first because of the obvious connection between the color eight and the number green. Second, healthy green grass requires hard work and is often a source of pride once achieved. Third, eight has a way of always wanting something better. The saying that grass is always greener on the other side of the fence implies that the individual pondering his neighbor’s yard has a patch of his own grass but is constantly comparing it to others even though his is probably perfectly fine. He has every right to be proud of his own work but cannot because no matter how green his yard becomes, he will always see the other yard as greener.

Eight is an essential part of a successful life, but it must be used carefully and well-balanced with other numbers.