Today is Big Wind Day, an April 12 holiday. It’s the kind of day that can blow you away. We all get those occasional windy days when you need to put rocks in your pockets before going outside, so you don’t blow away. Even without a hurricane or a tornado, it can get pretty windy anywhere on the planet. Windstorms display the awesome power of nature. They can be deadly, dangerous, and damaging. As a matter of fact, wind power can leave you without power.

On the other side of the coin, the wind can be our friend. It helps to cool us on a hot day. Sailors have used its power for thousands of years. Christopher Columbus would never have landed in America, without wind in his sails. Windmills increasingly dot the landscape all over the world. Electric turbines on them provide increasing amounts of clean electricity, to an energy-hungry world.  

For all the good and the bad that wind does for and to us, it’s only fitting, that we show our respect for it, by giving the wind its own, very special day.  

This holiday commemorates the highest wind speed ever recorded on the planet. Can you guess where?  No, it wasn’t in the middle of a hurricane or a tornado.

On April 12, 1934, the staff of the Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire, recorded the highest surface wind ever measured, anywhere on earth. This big blow was officially recorded at 231 miles per hour. Imagine the difficulties of even making a recording under those conditions back then!

Will this record ever be broken? Perhaps, but until then, enjoy Big Wind Day. 

Today is International Be Kind to Lawyers Day. Your lawyer works hard to protect you. He or she is an honest and noble advocate for you. Unfortunately, nowadays the practice of law is not seen by many as a highly respected profession. There are not many careers that rank lower. As a matter of fact, the profession is one of the least respected professions. It seems odd, as it is a very high-paying, white-collar job. Unfortunately, as in any profession, there are always a few, who spoil the reputation of the vast majority of lawyers.

Despite the sometimes low perception, the law profession remains a noble one. That’s where the majority of people who practice law fit in. These are the honorable men and women who are there when you need them. They are the ones who help you to buy and sell homes, prepare your will, protect your interests, defend you in court as needed against lawsuits, go the extra mile to fight for your rights, and provide legal advice on an endless list of topics.

Attorneys were not always the object of negative jokes. In the 1700s, Benjamin Franklin once said “God works wonders now and then; Behold a lawyer, an honest man.”. Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer before becoming President. In his day, it was considered a “noble profession”.  

Let’s celebrate bats today!! No, we are not going batty. We just think that bats deserve a little respect. There are many varieties of bats, some as small as your thumb. Counter to what horror movies lead us to believe, these night flyers won’t bother you, if you don’t bother them. However, if you’ve got bats in your belfry, that’s a different matter altogether. So, head on outdoors after dark on this April 17 holiday, and enjoy Bat Appreciation Day.

Bats can be your friend. Bats are nocturnal flyers, emerging after dark, from caves, steeples, and the attics of old buildings. These flying mammals are attracted to areas where there are plenty of nighttime insects, along with a good source of water. They use a form of radar to seek their favorite food source of mosquitos and other insects. A single bat can consume up to 1,000 mosquitoes a day (or night). Gardeners certainly appreciate bats. Bat guano is among the best manures you can use, in your home garden.

When we think about bats, we often think of them as scary Halloween Bats, a symbol of the Halloween holiday. But these nocturnal mammals aren’t really scary to most people once they get used to them flying around at night in search of an insect meal.

So, let’s use today to better understand, and appreciate our fine feathered friend, the Bat.

Barbershop Quartet Day honors four guys with great voices. This April 11 holiday celebrates the founding of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America in Tulsa, Oklahoma on April 11, 1938. Barbershop Quartets date back to the early 1900s in America.

Barbershop quartets are a popular musical group. Musical selections are usually happy and light-hearted and allow full utilization of the voice ranges and skills of these great singers. Competitions at local and national levels encourage these groups to flourish.

Every religion around the world, from the smallest to the largest, has its share of special or holy days. Well, what about Atheists? Is there a holy day for them to celebrate….no religion? Why, that is today, Atheist Day! The date for this April 1 holiday was dictated by a court in Florida. Read on…..

Some people are religious. Other people are spiritual, but not religious. This doesn’t make them an atheist. By definition, an atheist is a person who does not believe in a supreme being. They deny the existence of God, any God. 

Did You know? There are almost 8 billion people on the planet. There are about 142 million Atheists. It is estimated that 4% of the U.S. population is atheist.

The origin of Atheist Day did not arise in a normal way, with interested individuals or groups. Rather, it evolved from an internet hoax. This one was a lulu that took on a life of its own. It is the premier example of fake news. 

In 2003, an internet post was made, stating that a Florida man sought the help of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in an effort to get the courts to make a non-religion holiday for atheists. The judge ruled that April 1^st (April Fool’s Day) is to be their unholy holiday. And, Voila, Atheist Day was born.

While this may have begun as a spoof, it seems only right that atheists have their own day. After all, doesn’t “Freedom of Religion” also mean “Freedom from Religion”?

All is Ours Day is bound to be a spectacular day for…… us. It is a mood-setting day. Think of the concept for this April 8 holiday. It encourages us to reach for things and goals that we desire. Imagine the possibilities. They are limitless. This day tells us we can do anything with the help of others. The creator of this day was absolutely brilliant. What a great day this will be. So, when All is Ours Day arrives, make sure to enjoy every moment of the day

Let’s dissect the meaning and intent of this great day. We will do so by examining the title of this day, word for word. It begins with the word “all”. For such a little word, it’s all-inclusive. From a possessive standpoint, therefore, we are talking about anything and everything we want. The verb “is” is sort, sweet and definite. It leaves no room for doubt or question.

Finally, the creator chose the word “ours” rather than the word “mine” This is a vital decision allowing us to completely enjoy today with others, as a group or team. The greatest events, and the best things in life, are those that are shared. The only thing the creator left out is the definition of who “Ours” represents. That is left up to you, or better still, up to “us”.

This day is not about being greedy and overly possessive. Rather, it is a challenging and uplifting effort to obtain a goal or make an accomplishment. And, it encourages us to not go it alone.