Measuring Things

Inside a guestbook at a hotel room on St. Kitts, I find the following neat scribbles in black anonymous ink, the tail end spilling out of the last corner of the invisible square, in which a much shorter entry would have fit perfectly well:

"1) In the tangible realm, it helps to have unified units of measurement 2) But in the realm of intangibles, let there be many units of measurement 3) Not an infinite number of units, but multiple viable ways 4) That one can devise on one's own, with care and experience. 5) Intangibles can be measured; 6) Just not in the same way as tangibles can. 7) Rock the boat, rock it 8) Not, oh no, in order to capsize the boat 9) But to suggest the possibility of a flip 10) So that one comes to love the boat, cherish it 11) Cherish it for its preciousness 12) And instead of fixating on whether or how the boat will stay afloat, 13) One can start to concentrate on the beauty of the lake, 14) The sky, the shores, 15) And of course the boat. 16) Be thankful for the fish, 17) Remember that hunger strikes the heart first 18) And last, the stomach 19) Have mercy 20)See that the boat is free 21) But not alone 22) Many boats out there 23) Looking for the shore 24) Ships, too 25) Whole islands looking 26) With hope 27) Know that when worse comes to worse... 28) Fill in the blank, don't erase."