What is there to say about February other than that it seems to drag on forever? How is it that the shortest month of the year has felt so long?
Spring is the light at the end of a long wintery tunnel. We are on the very outskirts of winter, now staring at a distant, warmer land where motivation is abundant.
Late winter feels like a time of waiting – waiting for the cold to pass or waiting for something new to happen. It’s like the last stretch of a long hibernation.
The cold was welcomed in late November but is unbearable now. The bare trees are begging to flower. The birds are begging to sing.
The wind cuts to the bone and everything feels a bit more dramatic. You’re nostalgic for warm days and longing for the company of people you shouldn’t miss.
Groundhog Day and Valentine’s Day attempt to bring some joy to an otherwise bleak month. But no one wants to hear the groundhog’s bad news, and the pressure of Valentine’s Day is enough to drive some people crazy.
On top of all this, everyone you know has the flu.
I don’t think February is a month many thrive in; it is truly about survival. And as we turn the page to March, we near the life and excitement that spring offers.
It’s important to persevere through winter’s final act. I suggest hunkering down until the final bow. And when the first rays of spring shine through your window, I will certainly give a standing ovation.
There isn’t much to say about surviving these late winter days besides being kind to yourself, being kind to one another and remembering that spring is just around the corner. Buy yourself some flowers as a small foretaste of better days to come.
