The sign on the door of Chipotle read “Easter or Equinox, either way we’re closed.” It seemed a good summary of the day. On Easter morning my two year old daughter found her basket, decorated with flowers and filled with chocolate eggs and marshmallow chicks. Once she was high on a sugar buzz, I had to take her out of the house. We went to the national zoo in Washington, DC. I found myself surrounding by archetypal shapes. She played with park benches, birds, berries, and rocks. I snapped photos of hexagon tile pavers, storm drains, and sewers. Neither one of us gave much attention to the animals and we both had fun.

Who thought I’d find an eight-point star at the national zoo? I hesitate to mention it because I don’t want to imply anything sinister or subversive about it being there. I’m not prone to believing in conspiracy theories. I find the universality of geometry beautiful and reassuring. Now that I have studied a bit about Pythagoras, I can see his influence in both Islamic art and the work of the Freemasons in the United States. It is a small world after all.