Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Out of Time

Why not an extra day in summer instead?

I don't get Leap Day. I appreciate it. But I don't get it.
I've never seen any spare quarter-days in any other year.
I've looked.
Consequently, I accept it on its face that they exist.
I also accept that this extra day every four years exists. It's like  pondering the nature of the Universe. It makes a person dizzy considering something with neither beginning nor end, nor measurable time.
In a related matter, I don't understand February either. Why 28 days?
January has 31, as does March. If we rename January 31 as February 1, and rename the current March 1 as February 30, then we get three months of 30 days.
Would this mess anything up?
If so, there's no point explaining it to me. You can try, but my grasp of the world as explained by mathematics is simple and fragile. My way makes sense, and that is what I'll hang on to.
But to leap back to my point.
February 29 is a rare and beautiful thing. We have an extra day to do whatever it is we do. A day out of the regular stream of time.
I say it shouldn't even count against our days on Earth.
We have a day to go about our business or do something different.
Let's enjoy it.

9 comments:

Tabor said...

Everyday is a gift to me at my age. Another chance, another opportunity, another precious moment. Like my birthday, I do not care about the numbers.

Leah J. Utas said...

Great attitude, Tabor. We should all see days as gifts.

the Bag Lady said...

I agree with you. Why 28 days? There must have been a reason, but I certainly don't know what it was.

I should have planned to do something special today. Oops.

messymimi said...

February has 28 because Julius Caesar, who instituted Leap Days, took a day away from the 30 February originally had to give it to the month he named after himself, July.

Not to be outdone, Augustus Caesar, Julius' heir, took a day from February's remaining 29 and gave it to his month, August. After all, his uncle's month couldn't be longer than his own.

Emperors are fussy that way.

Have a great Leap Day!

Leah J. Utas said...

Messymimi, thank you so much for telling me. I had no idea.

Red said...

Well Leah, you give me much to express my stupidity on. The days of the month were set so long ago that the reasons make no sense at all at this time. I really like your idea of 3, 30 day months.

Leah J. Utas said...

Red, glad you agree.

Dawn said...

So true! Next time it comes around I will remember the extra day as an extra blessing:))

Hilary said...

As always, I like the way you think.