February is the Cruelest Month
posted at 11:08 am
on Feb. 25, 2009
Previous entry:
25 Random Things, a Rebuttal
Next entry:
Google AdWords’ Imperfect Trademark Policy
APRIL is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
- T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land
Sure, April acts cruel, but this February is giving it a run for its money.
So far, I count:
* 2 friends who were laid off
* 3 friends who have quit their jobs (2 for boss reasons, 1 for family pressure reasons)
* 2 friends who are so sick, they feel like their “lungs are coming loose”
* 1 friend who was deployed and just arrived in Iraq
* 7 people who are going through terrible relationship issues
* 1 friend who is trying to work through the anniversary of her mom’s death
* 1 couple who is facing the possibility of childlessness
* 1 friend who is facing losing her home
* 1 friend who was hit by a car
* 1 friend who sliced her hand so bad she’s been in a splint for a month
* general exhaustion all around
You probably could add your own chant to this litany.
I can, however, be thankful, and I am, that I haven’t heard about any deaths for me and my friends, or any separations. Those things are so permanent. It just seems to me to be all about hard times right now.
Hard times in the economy. Hard times at home. Hard times at work. Hard times in love.
Well, the good thing about hard times is, by definition, they pass. If they didn’t, you’d just call it “life”. Life is all the ups and downs together, and things get better as life goes on, especially when things are bad. Plus you have more good things to draw on as the years pass—memories of good days that carry you through the tough ones.
And life is long.
And February is not.
