A new birdfeeder hangs in our backyard by the patio and we can see it from our kitchen through the glass sliding door. It was an unexpected gift from our kids during football season. The Buffalo Bills logo is prominently painted on two sides and the roof has the Bills letters in red on a bright blue background.

For those who know my husband, you know he’s a very loyal Bills fan so a Bills flag hangs outside whenever the team plays. During Bills games, our extended family shares photos of toddlers and pets dressed in Bills clothes and the conversations ping on social media throughout the game. Now, football season is over and we have our birdfeeder to watch. Best of all, our cats, Katniss and Yahtzee, see the birds coming and going so it’s a source of entertainment for us all especially as the weather changes.

Winter has brought just a little snow and lots of sunny, warm days so the grass is dry at the moment. We hope for more snow before the official start of spring, which is March 20, the vernal equinox of astronomical spring. On that day, the sun passes over the equator which signals spring in the northern hemisphere and autumn in the southern hemisphere. In March, there are holidays like Pi Day (3.14 and pie), St. Patrick’s Day, Purim and International Women’s Day. In March, there are school spring breaks and tax preparation workshops. It’s a month of changes including the seasonal weather.

As February ended, the Super Bowl was over with a Seattle Seahawks win and a near-record number of people watched Bad Bunny perform at halftime. The field was full of people marching in grass costumes to represent scenery, performers on electrical poles to symbolize power outages in Puerto Rico, domino players and a shaved ice vendor on the street. It was a cultural, symbolic, and musical display that was upbeat and joyful.

In February, the Winter Olympics in Milan stole the hearts of many of us as we hoped for Lindsay Vonn’s slalom race. Sadly, her race ended in a crash, then surgery and the start of her recovery. Yet, her perspective, determination, and commitment to race at age 41 with a torn ACL lifted our spirits despite the outcome. In men’s figure skating, Ilia Malinin became known as the Quad God after landing 7 quadruple jumps in one of his programs. In women’s figure skating, Alysa Liu and Amber Glenn brought grace, beauty and athleticism to the ice along with so many other masterful skaters. In curling, Cory Thiesse became the first American women to earn a medal and along with Korey Dropkin, the pair became the first Americans to win a medal for mixed doubles in curling.

I was inspired by every Olympic athlete and alongside it, I have been captivated and moved by the Walk for Peace. The Walk for Peace began in Texas in October and ended in Washington, D.C. on February 10. The Walk for Peace was undertaken by a group of Buddhist monks who walked 2300 miles over 110 days to promote peace, compassion and non-violence. Aloka, a stray dog from India, walked alongside the monks for almost all of the journey and became an inspiring symbol of love, peace, and joy. As the monks walked, law enforcement from local communities often drove ahead of them and behind them to keep the roads clear and safe. At the start of the walk in Texas, dozens of people handed flowers to the monks, stood with respect and admiration, and held posters of good wishes. By the end of the 110 day walk, hundreds and hundreds of people lined the streets everywhere they went. At night, the monks slept in monasteries, churches and high schools and had a break for lunch each day. They carried their packs and bundled up in the rain, snow and freezing cold weather.

During an interview with the group’s leader, Venerable Pannakar, he said, “I thought the walk might prompt peace, but I have encountered many people who said to me, you saved my life. I was shocked. We simply just walk.” The journalist asked, “if we have viewers who are lonely and are suffering, what do we say to them?” His response? “Get a piece of paper and a pen and write down this statement: Today is going to be my peaceful day. Peace is very simple. Make your bed. Don’t start your morning on your phone. Breathe. Stay focused and accept.”

This is an insightful lesson that we can all learn from, especially in the midst of political divisiveness and distraction, and in the world of social media and constant news. It’s as simple as picking up a pen and getting some paper. Just follow his instructions and see what happens.