Grandpa’s Math Game: The Joy of Counting What Matters

A MiM Story About Learning, Remembering, and Hope

 
At MiM (Memory in Motion), we believe memory isn’t something you lose — it’s something you use.
And sometimes, the simplest activities — the ones that make us laugh, think, and count together — are the ones that bring it back to life.

 
There’s something magical about watching a child discover patterns — the same magic you see when a Traveler remembers one.

Our grandsons, Brenin and Colwyn, are at that perfect age where math feels like an adventure. They’ll count seashells, golf balls, the number of times Steely chases the ball before giving up entirely. They’re learning that numbers tell stories — about time, fairness, rhythm, and joy.

And then there’s Grandpa Tim ( affetionaly known as Grumpah)— who, in his own way, is learning too.

When the boys visit, they sit around the kitchen table and start what we now call “Grandpa’s Math Game.”
One boy adds, one counts, and Grandpa checks. There’s laughter, a bit of chaos, and that quiet joy of connection that makes time irrelevant.

They’re not just doing math — they’re practicing the same mental pathways MiM is built to protect: pattern recognition, rhythm, reasoning, and memory.

The beautiful part? Everyone wins.

“They’re not just doing math — they’re remembering how to connect.”
 
The Deeper Lesson:
For children, math builds confidence and curiosity.
For Travelers, it rebuilds trust in their own mind.

It’s the same skill, played at different speeds.
A child’s “2 + 2” becomes an adult’s “Where did I put the mug?”
Both require logic, sequencing, and the quiet belief that the answer is still in there somewhere.

That’s why MiM matters — because cognition isn’t a one-way street.
It’s a bridge we can cross from both sides, together.

When Grandpa Tim and the boys count, laugh, and make mistakes, what they’re really doing is exercising the most important part of the human brain — hope.

Hope that learning never ends.
Hope that memory isn’t a finish line.
Hope that connection itself can be the cure.

 
Closing Thought:
Maybe we’ve been teaching math all wrong.
It’s not about getting the answer right — it’s about keeping the conversation going.

So whether you’re counting clouds, golf swings, or teaspoons of sugar, do it together.

Because the real equation is simple:

Curiosity + Connection = Memory in Motion.
 
MiM Moment — Try This:
Count something together — raindrops, steps, songs, or smiles.
The number doesn’t matter.
The remembering does.