Rhythm: Beats in the Brain

OED: "Regularity in the repetition in time or space of an action, process, feature, condition, event, etc.; periodic or cyclical change or movement."

Rhythm is pervasive. From music to heartbeat, so many facets of life can be described in terms of rhythm that it seems to be fundamental to human life itself. I've often found songs (especially pop songs) whose lyrics are either incomprehensible or even offensive but whose rhythm is so compelling that I can't help drumming my fingers on any available surface. In fact, I practically always am drumming away to the beat whenever I'm lounging alone or with friends, listening to some tunes. 

And I'm not even a drummer, or a musician by any real standard! So I can imagine how much more important rhythm must be for people whose lives actually revolve around it. I have one cousin who is so in tune with the beat that she got our entire table of 7 pounding away with vim and vigor...at the wedding reception for one of my other cousins. Yet it didn't matter! Another table started copying us, but they couldn't stand up to our mad drumming skills. Even my niece's stuffed animal got in on the action. :)

Of course, life itself has its own rhythms, of days, of sleep, of work. My tempo is a lot faster this semester with all the classes and TAing and research, but hopefully I'll manage to take some time breathing very slow. :)