Groundhog Day
Every Groundhog Day, thousands gather in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to receive the prediction of the beloved Punxsutawney Phil. According to tradition, if Phil sees his shadow while exiting his burrow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If Phil is not greeted by his shadow, then spring will begin early.
“Okay campers, rise, and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cold out there!”
Groundhog Day
I love Groundhog’s Day!
I’m not quite sure why. It’s a strange holiday to appreciate and I’m not sure if I’m entirely comfortable admitting it to y'all right now. However, to further the dirty little secret, I would like to, one day, actually travel to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania and participate in the witnessing of the almighty, fur-lined Prognosticator of Prognosticators in-person! (There! I said it. Whew! That is a load off my chest.)
In my house, every year for the past 8-10 years, friends and family gather for the 1993 movie Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. It’s a great Harold Ramis movie created around the premise that a Pittsburgh weatherman on assignment in Punxsutawney, PA., gets stuck in a comic time-warp waking up to Sonny and Cher’s I’ve Got You, Babe and forced to experience the same groundhog’s day over and over again...until he learns to appreciate the little things in life.
We watch the movie anticipating a particular scene that involves angel food cake; with wedges of cake in our hand, we watch primed and ready to shove them into our mouths along with Phil.
“I like to see a man of advancing years throwing caution to the wind. It's inspiring in a way.”
-Rita (Andie MacDowell)
“My years are not advancing as fast as you might think.”
-Phil from Groundhog Day (Bill Murray)
Why this is funny to us, I’m not quite sure.
It just is!
I remember the Engineer in our group figured out that IF INDEED Phil the Weatherman was forced to repeat the day over and over again until he learned to appreciate the little things in life as depicted in the movie, it took him approximately 12,395 days or 33 years and 350 days! That’s a lot of Sonny and Cher!
Now, the Philosophy Professor in the group pointed out that the theory of Groundhog’s Day is actually an Aristotelian virtue as defined in Book II of the Nicomachean Ethics as a purposive disposition, lying in a mean and being determined by the right reason. Virtue is a settled disposition. It is also a purposive disposition.
“Hmmm.”
What WE saw in the movie can also be simply described as, “Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at will change.” If we want things to change, we have to be willing to change. As the Teacher in our group wisely said, “Rather than curse his situation, Phil starts enjoying the freedom that comes with doing things differently.
“Oh, yes… I see that.”
But the Philosopher Professor continues, “There are two kinds of virtue: intellectual and moral.”
“Okay.”
He continues, “We learn intellectual virtues by instruction, and we learn moral virtues by habit and constant practice. We are all born with the potential to be morally virtuous, but it is only by behaving in the right way that we train ourselves to be virtuous.”
We’re a bit quiet now. Didn’t think the conversation would continue this far. Kinda hoping the angel food cake would become gummy in his mouth, thereby interfering with further pontification.
(It didn’t work.)
He closes with an example, “As a musician learns to play an instrument, we learn virtue by practicing, not by thinking about it.”
(Alright, good point.)
Michael is a “Chop Wood, Carry Water” man.
He has often appeared as if nothing has changed on the outside (doing), yet everything has changed on the inside (being). He’s a little Zen Buddhist Firefighter if you ask me. But the truth is, if mastering your mind allows you to appreciate the extraordinary miracles in ordinary daily life, then have at it!
The complete statement is “after enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” It is indeed a phrase that stems from Zen Buddhism, emphasizing the need for committing to and thriving during the process in any pursuit.
I came across these FIVE LESSONS related to “Chop Wood Carry Water.”
Fuel yourself with encouragement.
Stop protecting your ego.
“The grass is greener where you water it.”
Do the work.
Excellence is lonely.
“You can’t cheat the grind… It knows how hard you have worked, and it won’t give you anything you have not earned.”
5 Lessons in Greatness for Athletes from “Chop Wood Carry Water” By Oliver Poirier-Leroy
Back to the movie, Groundhog Day. You may be wondering how Phil resolved his angst after what was calculated to take just over 33 years to discover. Well, at the end of Groundhog Day, Phil Connors (Weatherman - not groundhog) has finally succeeded in escaping from the seemingly endless repetition of February 2nd. He could not change his place nor time, so he had to change himself. He simplifies his life to the essence, to what was most significant – like being aware and caring for others.
For me, personally, it took breast cancer to finally resolve internal conflicts that I held fondly. I call these conflicts, “The haves” and “The have nots.” There were times I felt too poor, too tired, too insignificant. Thus I saw myself as a full-fledged, card-carrying, due-paying member of “the have nots” community.
But in reality, I had just the right amount of enough all along. I was able to create my own reality. I found that I had the choice, all along, to make today and every day either sad or happy, dull or inspiring, meaningless or fulfilling. A breast cancer diagnosis broke my internal Phil Conners who was too-easily dissatisfied with “not-enough” life. This altered mindset is an extraordinary gift. Instead of focusing on goals surrounding financial success, travel, and popularity, I was suddenly able to focus on my inner life. I was able to observe, well…how I observed. When what truly mattered to me came into sharp focus, I was filled with a sense of wellbeing that overrode any of the “not enoughs” in my outer life. A sense of calm and happiness took over and I found myself with an abundance of overflow to share this with those around me.
I was able to become the person I longed for.
(And it doesn’t need to take 33 years, it can be done in 24 hours!)
To be the person I longed to be, I had to surrender. My inner Phil Conners had to release the expectations and judgments about the former life. From that place of surrender, I was able to shine out happiness, delight, joy, and love.
So I guess this is why we love Groundhog Day, and why you might just catch me on the news one day cheering for a little groundhog to emerge from his slumber to usher in spring in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
And this is why I wish you a mouthful of angel food cake and all the lessons that are just right for you, delivered to you so the person you long for is allowed to blossom.
