Beethoven's Autograph from March 21, 1824 letter Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, San Jose

THE LETTER B Before the beginning all was black— BOOM the Big Bang— burning brilliant blaze of light— this universe was born from four elephants standing on the back of a giant tortoise. That's ancient belief replaced by physics of a bare bubble starting it all. For Beethoven, Bach was an ocean and not a tiny brook. The boys of summer play baseball in Brooklyn's backyard while bluebirds gather berries by the bay under blue skies and babe sleeps in mother's bosom. Genesis begins with the letter B— Bereshith as in baby and birth. Beth, the boundless bowl of being blossoming with beauty and blessings.                     Peter Y. Chou                     Mountain View, 2-6-2011