Is there a time of year that makes you think more about the people in your life and how connected you feel to them? If you need proof, February, even though it’s the shortest month, doesn’t waste a second jumping into the conversation. 

It usually starts with Groundhog Day. Some folks think about the groundhog coming out, looking around, and deciding whether he sees his shadow. Others think about that movie where the same day repeats again. Either way, the message feels similar. Some days really do feel like the same thing on repeat. Same routines. Same worries. Same winter. You wake up, look outside, and think, “Didn’t we already do this?” 

Then Valentine’s Day shows up, right on schedule. Love is everywhere. Cards. Candy. Commercials. For some folks, it feels sweet and simple. For others, it feels a little complicated. Valentine’s Day reminds us of who we’re close to and who we miss, sometimes in the same moment. 

And then there’s the Super Bowl. Even if you don’t care much about the game, you probably care about the gathering. Most of us don’t want to watch it alone. We like snacks. We like company. We like yelling at the TV with someone else and pretending we could coach better. 

When you put it all together, February isn’t really about holidays or football. It’s about connection. At some point this month, many of us silently wonder about the same things, even if we don’t voice them. Who truly understands me? Where do I feel I belong? Who is there for me, and who do I support in return? 

Here’s what I’ve learned over the years. We’re shaped by who we gather. Faith grows best when it’s shared. Hope is easier to carry when we’re not trying to do life alone. That’s true whether you’re raising kids, caring for aging parents, starting over, or simply trying to figure out what this next season is supposed to look like. 

February is also Black History Month. It gives us a chance to remember a powerful witness of faith that has shaped generations. Across families and churches, people learned to trust God through hard seasons. Before faith was something people talked about easily; it was something they lived out every day. Prayer, Scripture, and the church were not just habits. They were lifelines. 

That witness is bigger than any one group or moment in history. It is part of our shared story. It shows us what resilience rooted in faith looks like. Parents passing faith to children. Grandparents praying when answers were not clear. Songs sung and hope held on to, not because life was easy, but because God was faithful. These stories remind us all that deep faith is rarely loud or flashy. Most of the time, it’s quiet. It shows up early. It stays late. It keeps going when things are hard. 

So maybe February isn’t asking us to hurry up or measure our progress. Maybe it’s inviting us to slow down and ask better questions. Who am I loving well? Where am I choosing to gather? What kind of person am I becoming? 

Faith rarely grows in big, dramatic moments. Most of the time, it grows when grandparents keep praying. When parents keep showing up. When people stay connected, even when life feels repetitive, uncertain, or a little like Groundhog Day all over again. 

If any of these sounds familiar, let me tell you something important. You don’t have to walk this season alone. Sometimes the most faithful next step isn’t a big decision or a major change. It’s simply staying connected. Showing up again. Reaching out. 

So pay attention to who you love. Notice where you gather. And if you’ve been feeling a little disconnected lately, know this. There’s always room to pull up a chair and join the table again. 

At the Intersection,

Dr. Quincy Brown