Which is the universal language? Maybe you’ve heard it is music, laughter, love… I don’t think there is such a thing as The universal language; rather, there are a few. I believe Math is one of them.
I struggled with equations and calculus for most of my life. As a young adult, I avoided math the way most people avoid the dentist. Had my financial situation not forced me to look at the numbers, I would have never tried to get along with them. Then it blew my mind to discover that math helps translate the indomitable forces and phenomena of nature into comprehensible quantities and easy-to-manipulate equations. You read that right: easy. As with any other language things are easy once you become fluent.
It was my Latin teacher who taught me that languages are arbitrary and there is at least one exception to almost every rule. If you’ve tried to learn Spanish, French, Portuguese or Italian you probably agree that conjugation sucks, ’cause in many cases it makes no sense at all. Language is created by its speakers.
Then, not many years ago, I heard someone say that math is a language. That was my ticket into this stunning world!
If math were a language, then I could learn it. Changing my approach boosted my comprehension, and that’s how I finally understood the logic behind equations, order of operations, and procedures. It is so much easier than learning and combining hundreds, if not thousands, of Japanese kanji! It becomes even easier when you understand that numbers are merely a way to describe a truth and, depending on the context, a way to shape or reshape that truth.
While English is and will remain mandatory for many jobs, math should be too, considering all the positive effects it has on mental agility, brain health, quick thinking and abstraction skills. Many homes and companies would struggle significantly less if people were more mathematically literate. Plus, if you are into art or gaming, mastering math gives you a backstage pass to enjoy them even more. Not to mention, some say math is the programming language God used to create everything there is.
How about you? Do you avoid math like the dentist? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.
Abe Alba
Abe Alba 
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