The Promise of February...

February is a great month... there is a day in the middle of February that offers hope, comfort, peace and a sense that the world is finally back to the way it should be. It's a holiday that should remind us how good the world can be. It's a holiday in which some wear cute little red outfits.

Ah yes. The promise of February. The hustle and bustle of December has worn off. The bitter cold of January along with the fact that January is the most boring month of the year makes mid-February all that much more inviting. It’s a chance to remember what matters most: Love. “What the world needs now is love sweet love.” Especially in late January when the temperature is below freezing and I am bored out of my mind. Mid-February changes all of that… there is a certain warmth that starts to drift in the air. February brings with it the promise of something better, something purer, something…. different.

This special day in mid-February is a chance to reconnect with loved ones. It’s a chance to tell them how you feel… to talk about things that you may not have talked about for months. Perhaps it’s a chance to let your loved ones know just how much you’ve missed having them around.

There are only a few days that rival this special day in February… and I for one am going to do my best to take advantage of the benefits of this glorious day. Carpe Diem. I’m going to kiss my wife on this day… and I’m going to kiss her good and long. I’m going to give my daughter a giant bear hug and tell her that I’m proud of her and that I love her. I’m going to lift my son in the air, enjoy his huge smile and tell him that soon enough he’ll understand why February is such an important month… I’m going to deeply breathe in the cold, bitter air of Missouri and tell myself that love is enough to warm my heart.

I’m going soak in all that I can on that great day… not just because it’s February 14, but because of what February 14 represents to me and thousands, if not millions around the world. The 14th day of February is not magical in and of itself… but it has become so much more. It has snowballed into a day of rejoicing, of celebrating and of jubilation. Everybody will celebrate in different ways, to be sure. Some will write cards. Others will make sweet love. Some will eat nice meals. Still others will throw a “classic” into the DVD player and watch it all over again… Gifts will most assuredly be exchanged; parties will be thrown; the celebration will be tremendous…

In the words of the legendary rock band, U2: “It’s a beautiful day… don’t let it get away.” Why is this day so special? Because on this great day of February 14… we celebrate something greater than ourselves. We celebrate a day unlike any other day on the calendar year... a day that brings untold joy to millions!!!

February 14: PITCHERS AND CATCHERS REPORT!!!