Sharon Kennedy: The potential magic of 2/22/22
January’s gone and I don’t think anyone will miss it. It was a tough month to get through. All the well-intended resolutions we made on Jan. 1 and didn’t keep might have made us feel a little guilty. Then there were the images of Jan. 6, 2020, we wanted to sweep under the carpet, ignore or pretend never happened. MLK Day was celebrated by some and scorned by others. Nights were long and cold. Cabin fever infected us earlier than usual. It’s no wonder we’ll open our arms wide and welcome the shortest month of the year.
February always goes fast. Other than Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day and Presidents’ Day there are no major celebrations noted on the calendar unless, of course, some couples decide to wed on 2/22/22 at 2:22. There’s nothing magical about that date, but it does have a nice alliterative ring to it. I send best wishes to those deciding to “tie the knot” on that Tuesday.
According to an old nursery rhyme, Tuesday’s child is full of grace so perhaps getting married on a Tuesday will bring couples good luck as they walk in lockstep for the next 50-plus years. However, it’s my opinion it takes more than just grace to survive the rest of this winter, let alone a lifetime of marriage. People are a bit odd when it comes to picking memorable dates for special events. Maybe 2/22/22 will be a lucky one for them.
Take 11/11/11, for example. Lots of couples married on that date. After all, it’s an easy one to remember so neither spouse will have an excuse if they forget to exchange flowers, candy, jewelry or a box of red wine. Too bad we don’t have 14 months in a year or else 14/14/14 would have been a great day to wed. And what about 25/25/25? It’s a downright shame the fellows who created our current calendar didn’t have the foresight to add more months. We don’t need 31 days in one month and 28 in another. I’m no mathematician, but it seems to me the smart guys could have done a whole lot better than 12 lousy months with varying days.
But I suppose Pope Gregory XIII’s word was law in 1582 when he said: "We’re going on the Gregorian calendar and that’s that. Argue with me and you’ll land in the slammer." The change had something to do with those 11 minutes of the solar year forgotten or dismissed by the Julian calendar, but does it really matter? Seasons come and go regardless of what the calendar says. If July was called January would grass refuse to grow? Would snow stay put and refuse to leave if May was called December?
By now you know I’m no scholar. I’m probably screwing up why the Julian calendar was nixed. I don’t even follow proper grammar rules I learned in second grade. I end sentences with prepositions. I don’t bother with commas when prepositional phrases begin sentences. I like fragments. I loathe semicolons. I don’t remember the rule for independent clauses. I have no idea what to do with a gerund. Nobody cares about such things anymore. Any more? See what I mean.
Maybe in years to come another pope will change our calendar. I imagine all sorts of wonderful things will happen in the future. Things I never dreamed of as I wrote this column for 2/22/22.
— To contact Sharon Kennedy, send her an email at sharonkennedy1947@gmail.com. Kennedy's latest book, “The SideRoad Kids: Tales from Chippewa County,” is available from her, Amazon, or Audible.
This article originally appeared on The Sault News: Sharon Kennedy: The potential magic of 2/22/22
