Math has its own mysteries, and for my son, Tatum, one of the biggest puzzles was the constant search for X. One day, after his teacher introduced yet another equation, he turned to me and asked, “Why do we always need to find X? And why is X always missing?”His frustration turned into humor as he blurted out, “If someone can find X, then X will be happy!”

This playful perspective is more than just a critique of algebra; it’s a reminder of the humor in everyday challenges and the joy of questioning the “whys” behind what we do. Tatum turned an abstract concept into something relatable and funny—a lesson for us all to embrace curiosity with a smile.