The number three leads to transformation

June 6, 2023 – The Pear Tree Project begins …

There is something called the zero to three movement. This is the general idea that the first three years of life are a critical period for brain development, and that deprivation during those years will result in persistent deficits in cognitive, emotional, and even physical health. This idea was first propounded in the late 1990s in America.

Obviously the first three years of life are an extraordinary and vital part of development. Children develop from being almost entirely dependent new-borns to independent, communicating individuals who can dance, sing, and tell stories. The intuitive importance of those early years was backed up by the emergence of some intriguing neuroscience, key among which was the idea of sensitive periods.

A sensitive period is a time in a young animal’s life when their brain and behavior are most susceptible to being changed by the environment; for example, songbirds must learn their species-specific song early in life. All animals studied, including humans, show sensitive periods as juveniles. A broad implication could be, wrongly, taken that this means we must learn things early or we will not learn them at all.

In the natural world, the three-year mark represents a graduation from “infancy” into sustained maturity and growth.

Trees & Plants: A sapling reaches a critical root-establishment milestone by its third year. They are usually strong enough to withstand seasonal winds and begin redirecting significant energy into expanding their canopy and trunk diameter rather than just initial root-building.  

Large Mammals: Animals like bears, deer, and wolves reach definitive milestones. Large carnivores, for instance, typically separate from their mothers around two to three years of age to establish their own territories, hunt independently, and reach sexual maturity. 

Birds: Many bird species, (like raptors and large waterfowl), will have reached full adult plumage, flying capability, and the ability to migrate and mate by age three. 

Dogs: By age three, most dogs have fully matured mentally and physically, settling into their adult temperament.

Horses: Year three is a critical milestone where horses reach their full physical height and muscle maturity, making them ready to begin serious training or racing.

In the world of products, three years often represents a benchmark for reliability or lifecycle changes.

Automobiles: Many new vehicles exit their bumper-to-bumper manufacturer warranty, (which often spans 3 years or 36,000 miles), marking the transition into standard maintenance.

Electronics & Batteries: Lithium-ion batteries, (found in smartphones and laptops), typically reach the end of their optimal performance lifecycle around year three, often showing reduced charge capacity.

The “Magic” Number: We are hardwired to love patterns of three – beginning, middle, and end – which is why we frequently group things in triads like good, better, and best.

A Sacred Digit: Triads and trinities are incredibly common across global philosophies. Examples include the Christian Holy Trinity, the Hindu Trimurti, and the Buddhist Three Jewels.

The Pear Tree Project turned three last weekend! 

It has been an incredibly astonishing, celebratory, disharmonious, extraordinary, griefful, mystifying, purgatorial, sudden, unforeseen, and winding 36 months.

We have attempted to provide an alternative to the doldrums – (btw, the Doldrums holds a distinct place in maritime history, having developed a reputation as a potentially deadly zone which could strand ships for weeks on end, causing them to run out of food and drinking water) – normally associated with an online social presence. 

We will do better in the days, months, and years to come.

And, we will remember that the number 3 is often considered a symbol of creativity and expression, as it represents a beginning, middle, and end in storytelling. In mathematics, it is the first odd Prime number and the second smallest prime overall. Additionally, in many cultures, the number 3 is associated with good luck and is commonly seen in phrases like “third time’s the charm.” Interestingly, there are three dimensions in space: length, width, and height, making it fundamental to our understanding of the physical world.  

Did You Know? The Pear Tree Project welcomed a new team member yesterday, his name, “The Murph!” His purpose, to offer unconditional love, bring joy to life, and be a great educator. In addition to their kindness, dogs can teach us all sorts of life lessons – like those of loyalty and devotion. Whether they are assisting humans with daily tasks or keeping us safe from harm, dogs never hesitate to stand by our sides. And maybe, most obviously, their adoration is unparalleled.