February often feels like a quiet bridge between the beginning of the year and the promise of spring. Shorter days, colder temperatures, and full schedules can make the month feel long, but this February carried a depth that will stay with me forever.
The month began with moments of celebration. Family gathered to finally celebrate missed Christmas, New Year and Birthdays it reminded me how important it is to pause and honor life’s milestones. A couple of meaningful highlights were to celebrate my dad, nephew & husband’s birthdays. To boot the infamous Valentine’s Day all roll into one…
For me it’s a reminder to celebrate everyone’s life they are ALL important all the time but especially when life feels uncertain. Yet February was also marked by profound challenges.
Professionally, February continued at a steady pace. I remained engaged with my work and teaching online, finding comfort in routine and connection. Work became both an anchor and a reminder of purpose during a time when life felt especially heavy. It was teachers’ appreciation week, at school and I received KUDOS from some of my students (that was lovely and much needed).
I also was scheduled to have my cataract operation on the right eye – all went well just the wait-times where uber long.
Back to my dad’s health, I saw it kept declining significantly during this time. He faced immense struggles and lived with great pain; he was at home surrounded by compassionate nurses and doctors who tended to him with care and dignity. As the days passed, it became clear to me that the end was near. And at the end of this month, my father passed on. Losing him has been deeply painful, and words still fall short. What remains are the memories, the lessons, and the love that will always stay with us. What give me solace is he is out of pain and is free to do what he wants when he wants where he wants…. ENJOY your freedom PAPA. https://www.domainefuneraire.com/avis-de-deces/antonio-caputo
Alongside this loss, our family has also been navigating another difficult transition. My mother-in-law’s rehabilitation therapy journey is coming to an end. While we had hoped she might return home, her needs now require full-time care. This means making the emotional decision to move her into a permanent residence where she can receive 24/7 support. It is not an easy step, but it is one made with love, responsibility, and her well-being at the center.
February taught me that joy and grief can exist side by side. That celebrations can happen even as hearts are breaking. And that strength often shows up quietly—through showing up, making hard decisions, and continuing forward one day at a time.
As we move toward spring, I carry February with me not just for its challenges, but for the love, resilience, and humanity it revealed.
