Sometimes we see the magical nature of an issue when we begin to think about it more deeply. In this respect, I think this is the effect of 29 February. Unlike so many other days, months and years, “leap year” is a phenomenon that makes a difference.
People all over the world commemorate almost every day (birthday, celebration, mourning, holiday, etc.) in a local or global context. Although there are regularities every year, what makes this day different is its periodic discipline.
I liken it to natural activity in a seasonal context, or to space phenomena that we may never witness a second time in our personal lifetimes. Value and rarity increases as the likelihood of repetition decreases.
Of course, rare periods such as the World Cup or the Olympics, which can both keep people glued to their screens and give them a sense of unity and solidarity, are harbingers of this.
Photo by Alex Radelich on Unsplash
On the other hand, I see leap year as a milestone. It makes me wonder what kind of person I was and where I was in 2020. The only day that manages to stay out of our routine lives, like a portal to a pocket universe, visits us only once every four years. It gives us a chance to live differently from the rest of the days.
Of course, there is also the future aspect. “I wonder what will happen in my life four years from now? Will I be close to achieving my dreams? Will I still have time for the things I want to do?
That’s why I did more thinking than writing today. I thought about my future without dwelling too much on my past. It felt strange to look at my notes in those plans I used to make at intervals. Seeing that I was a completely different person made me wonder if my ideas about the future were sound enough. On the other hand, I reassured myself that a person’s life can change more than once in four years.
In other words, today is a indeed special occasion. I am in a period where I have started to reduce my plans (although I have made some rough plans) about what might happen until the 29th of February next. In this life, which I’ve only been in for about 7-odd leap years, I’ve started to learn that moments (even if we don’t always succeed) should be lived in the moment.
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