Groundhog Day

Phil in his best suit

My parents were extras in the movie Groundhog Day. It is one of my favorite movies anyway, but it's fun to see my dad clapping out of time in the town square in a couple of scenes. My mom's scenes got cut. My parents are both long gone now, and a while back, my sister gave me a Punksatony Phil.

Here he is, hat and all. I've kept him all these years. And I watch the movie occasionally, even though watching it once is like watching it many times.
I wonder what it was like filming those scenes? Talk about repetition.

But I digress.

Phil's ready for his close-up

And here's the groundhog "actor" from the movie.

Religions Love this Movie

I read somewhere that Groundhog Day is a favorite among many different religions and belief systems. Whether it's reincarnation or just trying to get a handle on this life, it's a universal message. And it also speaks to the feeling of deja vu. And you know we've all been there. More than once. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

An End of Winter... In February?

As a kid, I remember hoping that the groundhog wouldn't see his shadow. Even when he did, Winter didn't end early. I lived in snowy climates as a kid, so of course Feb 2 is the middle of Winter. It's the coldest month. So maybe it's just a way to lighten up a little and remember that Spring will indeed arrive again. Someday. It just always seemed interminable after Groundhog Day's momentary bit of hope. Spring came in April.

Afraid of Our Own Shadows

And then there's the metaphor of the groundhog being afraid of his own shadow. Yeah, none of us really like to look at our dark side. But if we are ever to be free of it, we need to. It's just a lack of light, and once we shine the light of awareness on it, it disappears. And we can come out of our hibernation into the light of day. Which is, sunscreen or not, a much freer, fuller, and fun way to live. So it's worth the effort, and worth the work, and worth the time it takes. Because without it, we remain trapped in our heads, in our old beliefs, and in the same-old same-old all our lives. And that's not living. That's survival. Sometimes that's all we can do when we are facing one of life's big moments. And then when the wave subsides, we can take a breath and decide how to live the rest of our lives.

So Happy Groundhog Day! If you see your shadow, say hello to it. You never know, it could be lonely.

How About You?

Do you take time to look at your shadow side and make friends with it?