Hullabaloo

My birthday comes the day after Groundhog's Day, February the 3rd. I've always associated the two. The ritual of watching a rodent come out of the ground -- seeing whether or not he's going to be afraid of his shadow -- it all seems apropos around this time.

Not unlike the movie of the same name, this past year has shown me a lot. Everyday I would wake up and feel stuck. Stuck in the same day over and over again, until one day, I get it right. Only for me, it didn't mean turning around and finding the one I love -- it meant being left behind. It was the kick in the pants I needed to start living.

This year, on my birthday, I saw my shadow and I wasn't afraid. I was embraced by friends and family alike. And maybe, if Punxsutawney Phil was greeted the same way I was, he wouldn't have been so quick to bury his head back in that hole.

These people in my life, they're irreplaceable. They're everything.

For me, right now, the harsh winter is over.