We measure ourselves against lines on a wall
We measure ourselves against our parents and siblings
We measure ourselves against those we admire and despise

But mostly we measure in numbers

We measure in inches and kilometers
We measure in nanoseconds, geological epochs, and light years
We even measure in negative numbers

Age
Weight
Height
Blood pressure
Bank balance
People we’ve had sex with
People we love
Days sober
Years of schooling
Languages we can speak
Instruments we can play
Voices in our head
Places we have lived
Children we have raised
Pets we have known
Jobs we have held

But the important things
Love, honor, truth, talent, humor, faith, kindness, intelligence
Cannot be measured

Give a man an inch and he thinks he's a ruler