Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
Home and Religion
A Better February

A Better February

Last updated on: February 10, 2025 at 3:12 am by Mary Pezzulo

0 Comments

A Better February 2025-02-10T03:12:58-04:00 Mary Pezzulo

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

snow blowing by a gray tree

image via Pixabay

I apologize for the sparse posting, my friends. My veteran readers know that this happens every February.

Every February, I fall into a slump. In many ways, this is the easiest slump in years. The anxiety level remains relatively low. But it’s February, so “relatively low” doesn’t mean very much. The insomnia is much better than usual as well, but it’s February, so “much better than usual” doesn’t mean “fixed.” And with that state of mind and body comes writer’s block. It will clear up soon.

Adrienne is doing wonderfully at school.

The guinea pig is getting older, but she’s still happy and energetic.

Charlie the cat came up to the porch for his can of fish this weekend in a new collar and bell, and I realized he was two-timing me. His real mother must be somewhere on this block. When I peeked out the window later in the day I saw him eating with two other cats, a timid Russian Blue I named Alyoshka and a brash fat ginger cat I named Garfield. I think at least one of them lives under the porch, and we’ve had a winter blessedly free of mice.

Friday, while under my gray anxious February cloud, Adrienne and I had a bit of an adventure. We went out for a grocery shopping expedition after school and drove home the long way, singing along to the radio. I was so relaxed it felt like it wasn’t February anymore. And then, of course, excitement.

We were in the bottleneck part of Oregon Avenue that really should be a one-way street but isn’t, the one where parked cars mean you have to drive on the wrong side and pull over if anyone comes the other way. Along that street came an SUV, barreling at what seemed like twice the limit, straight toward me. He blew right through the stop sign across Woodlawn without even slowing down. I swerved over to the right until I was practically on the grass, thanking God the sidewalks are so old there isn’t really a curb to hit anymore. The SUV blew past me at a speed that would’ve been a bit much on the freeway, within an inch of taking off Sacre Bleu’s side mirror.

I thought I was going to throw up. I yelled some Anglo Saxon words Adrienne graciously pretended not to hear. When I got to the part about “What are you running from, the cops?” I saw the red and blue lights, also speeding toward me. Two black police SUVs blew down the street just a little slower than the white one had, as I remained pulled over on a curb that wasn’t there.

Of course, we had to find out what happened next. We went around the block and back in the direction the SUV was going, towards the main arterial which is risibly named Sunset Boulevard. At the intersection, a grumpy police officer was kicking the remains of a bumper out of the crosswalk. That white SUV had attempted a left turn at a red light in front of the school, and three cars had paid a price for it.

Back home, I got online to warn the Steubenville gossip pipeline. The lady who listens to the police scanner told me he’d fled on foot, and the friend of one of the drivers whose car was smashed said that nobody was hurt and the driver was eventually picked up. He’s got quite the rap sheet.

I can’t even say whether my anxiety was worse after that, but it was different. It’s been different all weekend, and now it’s calming down a bit.

I guess that proves I am a little healthier than I used to be.

And I promise to get back in the saddle with my writing this week!

Mary Pezzulo is the author of Meditations on the Way of the Cross, The Sorrows an d Joys of Mary, and Stumbling into Grace: How We Meet God in Tiny Works of Mercy.

Steel Magnificat operates almost entirely on tips. To tip the author, donate to “The Little Portion” on paypal or Mary Pezzulo on venmo

Home and Religion

Previous Post

February 8, 2025

In the Gray Cloud

Next Post

February 11, 2025 On a Bright Day

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Thank you for bringing so much goodness into the lives of so many children.Ran across ..."

alwayspuzzled

The Passion of the Red Oak

"This current administration has had me reflecting on the Nuremberg trials and the like, for ..."

axelbeingcivil

On Traditionalist Bullies, and the Death ..."

"You're talking about supercessionism, the idea that Christians "replace" the covenant that the Jewish people ..."

Alex

Yes, the Old Testament is About ..."

"Oh I'm sure it did."

Mary

A Televised Execution is a Moral, ..."

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category abortion Abuse Advent America American Christianity angel angels Annunciation Appalachia apparition apparition chaser apparition chasers apparition culture art art review babies baby baby Jesus Bad Lip Reading bad statue contest bath beauty Bible story blog blogkeeping blood book review Brandon Sanderson breastfeeding bus Catholic catholic conspiracy alarmism Catholic Oppositional Disorder Charismatic Renewal Charlie the Cat chastity Christ Christian idenitity Christianity and Judaism Chronic Illness clean clothing COD piece comedy compassion conscience conspiracy theory conversion cop-on-black violence Crucifixion cry of the poor culture Daesh Daily Saints death death penalty devotional diaconate diaper diapers dirty disability Donald Trump Dorothy Day dream drugs Eastern Catholicism Eastern Christianity education election election update Elsewhere on Patheos empathy environment Fear feminism film review fish flashback fluffy buns food Franciscan University of Steubenville Friendship Room fun Gabriel gardening gospel hair-splitting Heaven hell heresy Hillary Clinton history Holly the Witch Holy Spirit holy war Homeschooling homosexuality horror human dignity humor Icon idol immigrants infection inter-religious dialogue Interpretation of Scripture Islam Jesus Jihad Joseph joy laity and lay vocations lamb dinner laundry lent lgbtq literature love manners Mary Medicine and Science Meditation mercy mess milk misogyny Missouri monasticism monster motherhood mourn with those mourn movies movis music mystery nature neurodiversity New Pro-Life Movement news nonsense nostalgia O antiphons obituary objectification Ohio Valley Ordinary Time ordination Ordo Amoris parable paradox Passover peanut butter personal beliefs pets philosophy Planet Charismatic poetry politics polls poop Pope Francis Pope Leo power in the Church prayer prayer request prayers preferential option for non-violence president presidential election priest primary private revelation pro-life prophecy Public face of Catholicism Pure Flix Q and A race racism random rape rape. sexuality reader's request Reckoners refugee religious trauma ressurrection Right to life Saints saints and celebrations same-sex same-sex marriage satire scandal secular feasts seder Seven Joys Seven Last Words sex sexual ethics sexuality silencing six months skid row slavery social justice Speculative fiction spiritual abuse spoon stain story suffering suffrage suffragette Sunday Gospel temple Tenebrae Responsories Terror the exorcist The Friendship Room The New Pro-Life Movement Things I Learned on the Internet tin cup traffic true story tv review Uncategorized USCCB vice and temptation violence Virtue virtue and vice war Way of the Cross whimsy whole life women's ordination work of mercy Year A

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is a "cubit's" approximate length according to the Bible?

Select your answer to see how you score.

12 inches 36 inches 24 inches 18 inches