March is a very significant month. When most people think of March, they think of St. Patrick’s Day—of fun-filled celebrations featuring festive, green-colored foods and drinks. However, when I think of March, I think of my mother and my daughter. My mother was born on March 27th, and she passed away on March 3rd. Six years later to the day, my daughter came into the world on March 3rd.
When my mother passed away, I remember leaving the hospital heartbroken and in tears. About an hour after I got home, the sky opened up, and a hailstorm like I have never seen before or since rained down on us. I felt like my mother was angry that she had to leave us and wanted us to know she would miss us. I tried to remind myself that my mother was finally free from the Alzheimer’s disease she had suffered from for twelve long years. I also took comfort in the fact that she was finally free to enjoy her eternal life in heaven with Jesus, whom she loved. But for a long period, March 3rd was a day of profound sadness for me.
Six years later, though, my daughter, Lena, was born at 11:50 p.m. on March 3rd. I remember holding her in my arms and thanking God that He had given me a daughter whom I would love forever. Suddenly, a date that had been associated with tragedy was forever transformed into a day of birthday parties, cake, candy, family, friends, and celebration. As I grew in the faith, I also came to a new realization: I am fortunate enough to be able to celebrate both my daughter’s birth and my mother’s new birth in heaven on the same day!
With this newfound perspective in mind, I have come to think of March as a special month for my family. But March is a special month for many other reasons. First, March is the only month of the year whose name is a homograph and can have two separate meanings. The word “march” can refer both to the third month of the year and to the act of walking in measured steps. Meanwhile, March is also special precisely because of its status as the third month of the year. The number three has great significance in the Bible. Not only did Jesus rise from the grave on the third day, three is the number of the Holy Trinity. In fact, Saint Patrick considered the shamrock a symbol of the Christian Trinity because it had three leaves!
March is Spiritual Wellness Month. It is a time for us to work on “enhancing the connection between our mind, body, and spirit.”[1] It is also a month filled with many special days that can be just as fun as Saint Patrick’s. On March 8th of this year, we will “spring forward” for Daylight Saving Time and get an extra hour of sunlight. More importantly, March 8th is International Woman’s Day, and March 15th is Incredible Kid Day. On March 19th, we can celebrate the first day of spring, the time of new beginnings. Last but not least, March 20th is International Earth Day. After all, there couldn’t be a better time to celebrate the earth than when the flowers are blooming and the trees are sprouting new leaves!
There is a season for everything! I am reminded of my mother and my daughter’s special day when I read Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 NIV, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die.” God promises that our season of sorrow will be turned into a season of rejoicing. Ecclesiastes represents the journey of life contrasting one point to the other. The great truth of Ecclesiastes lies in the knowledge and certainty of God’s continued present in our lives. No matter what season you are in, remember God’s love is greater than your pain. Therefore, be steadfast in the hope that is unseen, God’s grace.
So, I now embrace the month of March for many reasons. Basketball fans may speak of “March Madness,” but I speak of “March Gladness.” During this month, I will commit to march on for the Lord, praising him for the knowledge that I will see my mother again and that my daughter, Lena, will meet her grandmother too one day!
[1] https://riinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/WellnessCityVoice_2014_3.pdf
