Benjamin took it up a notch. His first dozen Venn Diagrams debuted on paper, with the circles being traced by the nearest drinking glass. I enjoy his way of making sense of things. There was one of desserts, lumping puddings and ice creams into sub categories of flavor and a tendency to wiggle. He invented a mathematical one, using multiplication and primes. He had a period of caring about animals, and drew one of African and Asian elephants. 

This week he created one for his friend who loves musicals with happy endings. This means he has officially surpassed my ability on a computer. I suppose he would teach me how to capture images and plunk them inside an oval, but not knowing how adds to the mystique. 

I suppose part of the reason I cherish his diagrams, is because of the undercurrent of inclusion. There are never lonely numbers or animals out in left field, wishing someone would invite them to the party. Benjamin does not want to be left out either, and his capacity to ring others in moves me. 

"He drew a circle that shut me out- Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in." Edwin Markham