When 2022 rolled around, I found it interesting how differently it meshed with people depending on the community they belonged to. You might say everyone was ‘feline’ it differently!

For many in the hearing community, simply saying “twenty twenty-two” out loud often triggered a sense of unease or even dread. That’s because the phrase sounds like “twenty twenty, too”—which can feel like a continuation of the difficult and tumultuous year 2020, followed by an equally challenging 2021! After two years marked by a global pandemic, uncertainty, and upheaval, the prospect of “more of the same” brought up worries that hardships might continue.

In the deaf community, however, visual language creates a completely different representation. Rather than focusing on how the year sounds, ASL (American Sign Language) signers notice how the year appears when expressed visually. Signing “2022” in ASL is made up of gestures that can resemble birds (“20”) and the signs for peace (“2”). This brings about more uplifting associations—feelings of hope, victory, and harmony.

So, while some may have met 2022 with a bit of a-purr-hension, I love how our community embraced it as the year of “bird-peace-peace.” It’s a reminder that perspective—whether shaped by sound or by sight—can change how we experience what’s ahead. And that’s something to purr about!

Happy 2022 to everyone! Here’s to a year filled with optimism, peace, and puurs!

—Tabby