Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is celebrated every year on February 2nd. This tradition comes from a German legend that if a hibernating animal sees its shadow, it means that there won't be an early spring. Traditionally there are many animals that can perform this ritual, but the honor of the annual Groundhog Day celebration goes to the Phil, the Groundhog, who stays with his family in the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. This year, like every year, Phil (see picture) has seen his shadow which means we have 6 more weeks of winter. This is true is any case since the Spring equinox, March 21, is still another 6 weeks away.

This day was also the subject of a Bill Murray movie of the same name (Groundhog Day, Columbia Pictures 1993). He plays Phil (not coinicidently the name of our Groundhog), a pompous weatherman for a TV station, covering the annual Groundhog Day at Punxsutawney. In the movie, he gets trapped in a loop of time where he has to live the same day (February 2nd) everyday. He always ends up waking at 0600 on February 2nd, with the radio playing "I Got you Baby" by Sonny and Cher. At first he takes advantage of this, by scoring with a woman, getting away with robbing a bank and driving recklessly on the streets. But gradually frustration creeps in and he realizes that even by killing himself, he cannot get out of the loop of time. He also realizes that, despite his best efforts he cannot save an old man from dying. As the number of loops of the day increases, he also realizes that he is falling in love for Rita, his producer (played by Andie McDowell). The thing is he remembers all the loops he has already gone through so he uses that memory to his advantage. He learns to speak French, play Piano and even making Ice Sculptures by taking one day lessons in each loop of the day. He does this till he reaches the perfect day where he uses his unique knowledge of that day to help people in the town. In doing so, he becomes the local hero and wins the heart of Rita. But more importantly, he discovers a better person in himself. And of course, he gets out of the loop of time.

To me, this movie represents a lot about our lives. We cannot change our everydays, where each day seems no different than the other. What we can change is ourselves. And that gives us our salvation.