Happy(?) Groundhog Day

Roger Brown, past District 53 Governor, reminded me that today (Feb.2nd) is Groundhog Day... which, in turn, reminded me of the Bill Murray movie of the same name.

I always thought that Groundhog Day (the movie, not the "holiday") had a great lesson for life and, besides, I'm a big fan of Bill Murray and can't resist the opportunity to use his movies to make a point.

Unrelated line from the movie:
[to the groundhog who he's holding behind the wheel of the truck he's driving... see picture to the right.]
Don't drive angry. Do not drive angry.

Back to the story ...
In the movie, Phil Connors (played by Bill Murray) repeats the same day (Groundhog Day) over and over again. He is in some sort of "time loop" and he can remember everything that happened in the previous days (even though no one else can).

Analogy ... or is it a Metaphor?
Have you ever gotten into a rut where you were running the same "loop" over and over again? ... going to work every day, doing the same thing, day in and day out? And then you realized that a month had passed ... or a year ... or more ... without any progress being made toward the things that were really important in your life?

If so, you could be living in your own, personal "Groundhog Day".

What does Phil Connors do to get out of his Groundhog Day?
At first, he gets depressed and figures life is not worth living... especially since he is a "big city person" trapped in small town Punxsutawney, PA.

Phil: I've been stabbed, shot, poisoned, frozen, hung, electrocuted, and burned.
Rita: Oh, really?
Phil: ...and every morning I wake up without a scratch on me, not a dent in the fender... I am an immortal.

Eventually, Phil realizes that he can become involved in the lives of the people around him and find activities that he enjoys.

He catches a boy who falls out of a tree and he helps 3 old ladies who get a flat tire. He talks to nearly every local person and learns what "makes them tick".

Phil: Nancy, she works in a dress shop... and she makes sounds like a chipmunk when she gets really excited.

He takes up the piano and progresses from a lowly beginner to eventually playing in the band featured at the Groundhog Day celebration.

Piano Teacher: Not bad... Mr. Connors, you say this is your first lesson?
Phil: Yes, but my father was a piano *mover*, so...

And he also finds love. (It is a Hollywood movie after all.)

What about you?
On this Groundhog Day, are you going to make a change? Or are you going to continue in your rut?

The one thing that I learned from watching (and re-watching) Groundhog Day is that "Small changes, done often, can accumulate to produce amazing results!"

What will you have to show for your life next month or next year?

What are going to work into your life?

Find the time. Make the time.

It is your life !

Happy Groundhog Day !


[Side Note to District Conference organizers: I wonder if we could get Bill to speak at one of our District conferences? I think he lives in upstate NY.]