numerical order

i wonder what it is about upness and downness, forward and backward, open and shut that leads us to assign those words the connotations we do. what makes up happier than down? what makes open better than shut?

they aren't just words of course, they are ideas. they are points of view. just a few letters smushed together. if you go up far enough you run out of air. if you go down far enough the same thing happens. why do we pray to a father above and fear the depths of hell when really all we would most like is to stay right here in the middle, where everything is balanced?

i suppose it's all relative. on some far away star the perspective changes; the definition of up becomes different. the horizon moves. forward and backward depend on which way you face.

in a painting closer means more important? in a document bigger means more important? in a list of items first means most important? who gave us these rules?

some of them are inherent, rooted in the evolution of our language. first does mean most important. number one. on top. before anything else. urgent. priority. winner. only. best.

but why?

and if only one thing can be first... who gets it? me? i'm the closest one to me.

but i am so small.