February

We do not evaluate our life in February.

This is a rule Lucas and I established many years ago, and there has yet to be a February in which we haven’t needed it.

In our experience, February is a relentless beast that never shows itself in the same way twice. Whether it be financial depletion, unexpected expenses, home issues, illnesses that linger for the entire month, death of family members, loss of cattle, lack of resources, terminal diagnostic reports, severe weather, or a combination of it all- February tends to present itself as a concoction of suck more often than not.

During this one month of the year, we give ourselves permission to coast, survive and let the shit hit the fan if it must. We do our best, and we accept the fact that it may not FEEL good enough most of the time. We refrain from finding fault, placing blame or making any grand life change from a place of exhaustion. We fight to find whatever positive there is to be found, and we trust that we will find the rest of it in March.

There tends to be a sense in the air that we might not be good enough, strong enough, or smart enough to make things work out for good, but there has yet to be a February that has actually won. It always works out. Though each year it gives us a good run for our money- it never wins, and we rest on that truth year after year.

There’s nothing to evaluate. We lean into the difficulty. Do our best, and gladly accept that it is the shortest month of the year for good reason.