February is unique

Shannon Bohrer

(2/2020) February is the shortest month in our calendar; the month that recognizes Presidents and lovers. February has also been described as the most hated month, specifically because of the weather. In the Northern Hemisphere we have three months of our meteorological winter, and February is the last one. So February has a lot going for it, providing one does not mind the cold, the ice and the darkness.

While February has only 28 days, every four years we have leap year, which extends the month by one day. This year 2020, is a leap year. The extension of one day is needed to keep the timing of the earth in sync with the time it takes the earth to travel around the sun, one full turn. While non-leap year calendars have 365 days, to travel around the sun; it really takes 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 45 seconds. To compensate for the 5 hours and 48 minutes, we add one day every four years. However, adding the one day every four years, actually adds too much time. To compensate for this we skip a leap year every one hundred years. Don’t worry; there will not be any test questions.

Many people first think of February as Presidents month. Our first president, George Washington was born on February 22, and his birthday was established as a national holiday in 1885. Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12th, and his birthday was also a national holiday, until 1971. Starting in 1971, at least federally, we celebrate President’s day on the third Monday of February, which now celebrates all of the Presidents.

President’s Day, being a national holiday, is often promoted as a "Patriotic Holiday." Automobile dealerships fly American Flags, while promoting the "President’s Day Sales." Of course they also fly them all year. Numerous business use flags and likenesses of former Presidents, usually Washington or Lincoln, in their advertisements for President’s Day sales. Of course all of the furniture and mattress dealers also have President’s Day sales, but then furniture and mattresses seem to be on sale all year. Maybe it would be nice if the patriotism that we are supposed to have on President’s Day was related to the presidents and not to commercialization. Maybe, just maybe, in celebrating our Presidents Day we could reflect on the Presidents, what they contributed to our country, inspirational words and or deeds. It is our history.

In honor of President’s day, a quote from Abraham Lincoln, "Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing." How often does one think or reflect upon their own character?

February is also known for Lover’s month, as we celebrate Valentine’s Day. Originally, Valentine’s Day was celebrated as a Christian feast day. The purpose of the celebration was to honor saints named Valentinus, which is why it was also called Saint Valentine’s day. One such Saint Valentine was persecuted for performing marriages for soldiers who were forbidden to marry. Maybe that was the connection or relationship, with love that resulted in the holiday we have today.

In any event, February 14th is supposed to be a romantic day, so in the last month of our meteorological winter, a very cold month, we celebrate our romantic warmth. We express our romantic feelings of love, by purchasing flowers, candy and stuffed dolls, including giant stuffed teddy bears. Of course, once purchased, we can transport these things in our new cars and hide them behind our new furniture or under the new mattress, until Valentine’s Day arrives. It’s like celebrating President’s Day in preparation of Valentine’s Day.

Perhaps Valentine’s Day could be thought of as a reminder, that if you love someone, those feeling could be expressed - all year long, even in the warmer months of the year. One can demonstrate their love any time during the year by purchasing chocolate, flowers and stuffed animals, well maybe not the stuffed animals.

So February has a lot going for it, including the negative fact that it has been described as the most hated month, because of the weather. Yes, it is usually cold, but by the time February arrives, our winters have been here for a while. One reason February may be disliked, is that we really do like change, and we are so tired of winter that we are looking forward to spring.

Of course, related to the possible changing weather is Ground Hogs Day, when a ground hog predicts how much more winter we will have. This event is held each year on February 2, and is followed by the local, state, federal and international news. On the morning of February 2nd, when the ground hog leaves his den, if the sun is out and they see their shadow, the ground hog goes back into the den, and we have six more weeks of winter.

I do find it a little strange that some think a ground hog will predict the weather. I am sure there is something factual or historical data behind it, or at one time someone believed there was. Maybe the groundhog weather prediction belief was at one time related to other weather predictions, like the wooly caterpillars. People still notice the caterpillars and then comment about what kind of winter we will have. Is there any scientific evidence that ground hogs, or wooly caterpillars, can predict the weather?

According to The National Climate Data Center, the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil, from Pennsylvania, predicts a longer winter about 80 percent of the time. And yet, his predictions are only correct about 39 percent of the time. That may not sound good for the groundhog, compared to humans that are correct about 90 percent of the time, but only when making a 5 day weather forecast. However, humans’ predictions over 10 days are only about 50 percent accurate. Human’s 50 percent vs. ground hogs 39 percent. Remember, the groundhog is predicting for six weeks, with no satellites or computers. In that light the groundhog’s success rate is not that bad.

Personally, I like February, it is the month of my birth and I like cold weather. I also like celebrating President’s Month. No, I don’t go the sales. I generally celebrate president’s day by reading something about our previous presidents.

Another presidential quote, "Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains to bring it to light" George Washington

Many previous presidents had a lot to say, and much what they said is still relevant. Happy February.