National ‘National Month’ Month

I’m all celebrated out.

While I was watching an NFL game last week, I was treated to an audio clip of a Spanish announcer commentating the game in respect for “National Hispanic Heritage Month.”

Very cool, indeed. However, days later I ran into an advertisement for yoga stating that it’s “National Yoga Month.”

That doesn’t work for me. I’m not going to appreciate Hispanic Heritage while I do yoga in the same month.

Every month, and now seemingly every day, is sponsored by some random organization, promoting a different agenda.

A quick look at monthly holidays across the nation indicates November as “National Novel Writing Month,” September as “National Guide Dog Month” and April as “National Mathematics Awareness Month.”

I’m not trying to take anything away from the specific causes, but our calendars are getting a little too full.

It’s hard enough remembering to buy my mom a present on Mother’s Day, but remembering to do some multiplication in April is tough.

America has become a holiday-stricken culture. We want every month to have some significant meaning, however so slight.

The novelty of these seemingly random appreciation months underscores the importance of months that actually matter, such as Black History Month.

Black History Month has been around for more than 35 years. President Gerald Ford was the first to recognize the occasion, and it has been a staple in February ever since.

Now February is polluted with other “National Months” such as “National Heart Month.”
I don’t even know what that means. Am I supposed to draw hearts everywhere I go, or worship the body part? This muddy water only serves to dilute the lake that is Black History Month.

It’s not that I don’t believe the heart is important — it’s quite essential — but these events shouldn’t get recognition in the form of holidays. I don’t think we need monthly reminders of what we should value in our lives.

I’m sure that people with guide dogs wouldn’t mind if they didn’t have a whole month dedicated to the dogs. No one I’ve ever heard of used National Novel Writing Month to churn out best sellers.

If we could tone down the amount of appreciation months, I would appreciate those occasions year round.

Think of it as shark week. For a week of the year, I’m more into sharks than humans. But for the other 51 weeks of the year, I don’t want to hear one more thing about the size of a shark’s jaw. If we stopped burning out all our appreciation in one month, it would be spread out evenly.

Besides the well-known traditions, let me determine what to appreciate.

But for now, October is rolling in. I have to brush up on my Filipino American LGBT History as I make people aware of Down syndrome, cybersecurity and dwarfism. It’s going to be a busy month.

— lewicole@indiana.edu
Follow columnist Cole Lewis on Twitter @ColeThenLewis.