A Groundhog Day Recipe

Yesterday was Groundhog Day so it was no surprise when I sat down and turned on the television, the movie Groundhog Day was just beginning. This beloved comedy stars Bill Murray as Phil Connors, a self centered, obnoxious TV weatherman who, much to his distress, must go to Punxsutawney, Pa. for the annual ritual of the groundhog coming out and "predicting" the weather.

Due to cosmic forces and good Hollywood writing, Phil ends up in his own personal hell, reliving this day over and over and over again for an undetermined amount of time. This got me thinking about how we, as humans, get stuck in our own endless loop, and how we allow our own thoughts and beliefs, to keep us there.

Much like in the movie, when we do nothing different in our own lives, the days and events of our existence don't ever seem to change. Phil Connors goes from bewilderment to despair to boredom to hopelessness, much as we do, each in our own way, resigned to the repetitiveness of our own reality.

The experiences that unfold each and every minute of Phil’s same day, reflect our own journey and feelings of being trapped by the sameness of our condition.

He begins to realize he can change his day by changing his attitude, his behavior and his habits. Instead of allowing his situation to continue to dictate how he feels, he takes control of his circumstances, and begins to embrace the opportunities this time loop has given him.

He finally begins to live each day, and not only becomes a talented piano player and ice sculptor, but also, a fantastic wingman to the various townspeople who need him, be it catching a boy falling from a tree, fixing a tire for older women in need, or saving a choking man by doing the Heimlich maneuver.

Again, as I watched this story unfold, I was mesmerized by how this movie so perfectly reflected what so many of us allow to become our lives.

As Paulo Coelho once said,
                 “We can become blind by seeing each day as a similar one”

By repeating our past habits, our days become so similar; it’s as if we are living each day over and over again, much like Phil Connors.

As we watch him giving his television forecast for the umpteenth time, we finally see his evolvement.

"When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing here among the people of Punxsutawney and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, I couldn't imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter."

Surely, these are not the words of a man who sees his life as one long monotonous cycle.

So here, in this little romantic comedy about one day in the life of a bored and bitter man, we are given a recipe for a full and meaningful life.

For Phil Connors, it was helping others, connecting with community, studying new skills and learning more about himself. Much like Phil, our journey is to find our own recipe for delivering us from where we stand today, into our own rich and meaningful tomorrows.

You don’t need to become a jazz pianist or ice sculptor overnight. But, by changing one habit, one encounter or one experience, maybe your groundhog won’t see his shadow this year, and your spring will come a bit earlier.

Thanks for allowing me to be your wingman today.
In Appreciation,
Michael