Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is one of the best (if not the best) movies of the 1990s. It’s hilarious, moving, thought provoking, and always relevant. Who hasn’t felt trapped in their daily routine and wondered what it would take to break loose and find a way out of the endless loop of gray days and repetitive trivia? Maybe we don’t push it to the extent of attempting suicide or engaging in immoral behavior, but while one do-over would be great, endless repetitions of the same day can be maddening.

We sort of do that though, at least I do. I tend to make the same questionable choices over and over, engage in the same arguments, and pick at the same flaws ad nauseum. I choose the same type of people to emulate and the same books and entertainment, and then wonder why life is boring or unfulfilling.

In the second part of the movie Phil begins to use his time to learn new things, help others, and sublimate his own selfishness. We have similar opportunities to do the same in our own lives. If we are feeling stuck maybe we should examine what behaviors landed us there. We could turn our thoughts to helping others and decide to leave the rut we’ve worn in our present paths to take different, better ones.

Learning, growing, loving, and helping are the reasons we are living. We will find our best adventures, our most fulfilling purpose, in intentionally choosing to follow the best path, not necessarily the easiest one. Eventually we’ll wake up to a brand new day as better people.

Just remember, “Don’t drive angry, Phil.”