On Motivational Mondays, I normally share something short to start the week. I’m going to do that, but then you’ll get bonus content for Groundhog Day.
“Don’t look back; you’re not going that way.”
-Author Unknown
What I like about this quote is that it encourages us all to live today. We’ve all made mistakes, and while we can’t undo those mistakes, we can move on with our lives. Even if we’ve hurt someone, we can make the choice to take responsibility and move on. So remember your past, but don’t live there.
Speaking of living in the past, we went to see Groundhog Day in the Alamo on Sunday afternoon. Now, that’s a great movie! People gather annually on February 2 in Punxsutawney, PA to see Punxsutawney Phil. If he sees his shadow, there’ll be six more weeks of winter weather. If he doesn’t see his shadow, there will be an early spring.
The 1993 movie Groundhog Day used this festive occasion as the backdrop for the story of another Phil, a TV weather reporter and modern day grinch. Phil is one of those guys who nothing suits. He mostly just wants to be miserable but have people admire him and look up to him.
Spoilers ahead! You’ve been warned. (The movie is from 1993; if you haven’t seen it by now, don’t you think it’s time?)
For some reason, Phil ends up living Groundhog Day over and over in an endless loop. At first, he wastes his time, eating junk food, drinking a lot, and doing whatever he wants. After awhile, he decides to start killing himself. When that doesn’t work, he works on bettering himself through knowledge and hobbies. In the final phase of his development, he works on being a better person, helping out people in the town and generally making himself loved.
I like this movie because it shows a transformation of the man from total jerk to really great guy. I believe that in life, we’re all presented with the same lesson over and over until we learn something. Of course, I’ve never lived the same day over and over, but that’s essentially the message I take away from this movie. Phil had something important to learn, and it took him a long time, but he eventually did.
When life presents you with a challenging circumstance, you have options on how to handle it. My favorite way is to ask myself: What am I supposed to learn from this? When I turn a bad situation into a learning experience, it seems to make it easier and more manageable. After all, the sooner I learn that lesson, the sooner I can move onto the next lesson.
Have you seen Groundhog Day? What are your thoughts on the movie, or on life’s lessons?
Doree Weller 