Happy February 2nd, for most people it’s just the second day in a month that’s usually dedicated to Valentine’s day, but for some movie buffs and trivia fans, today is Groundhogs day!
Traditionally, the day derives its name from the famous line of groundhogs, “Punxsutawney Phil.” On February 2nd every year Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania celebrates the day with a festival and the highlight is watching Phil the Groundhog, finally come above ground.
The day lies in superstition that, according to groundhog.org if Punxsutawney Phil see’s his shadow, we regards it as an omen of six more weeks of bad weather and returns to his hole. If the day is cloudy and, hence, shadowless, he takes it as a sign of spring and stays above ground.
The town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania is already excited and gearing up for the big day.
With all the celebration, around time I’ve started to feel a little nostalgic and in memoriam I’m looking back at the classic movie, “Groundhogs day”
Groundhogs day, the movie came out in 1993 almost 24 years ago and follows the story of two news reporters who head to Pennsylvania to cover the big day, featuring Bill Murray and Andie Macdowell
Bill Murray’s charter ends up reliving the day over and over again as a learning tool in his own self-growth.
Over the years I’ve heard plenty of people talk about pulling a “groundhogs day” moment and this year it’s got me thinking.
What kind of day would I want to live over and over? For some people this is easy, their wedding, the day their child first walked or was born.
However none of those milestones have happened yet in my life, and I wonder if we only live for the big moments what makes the small ones so special, are they just small stepping stones leading up to big moments we recognize, like weddings, graduations and birthdays?
Honestly, I hope not because living a “Groundhogs day” sounds like torture to me. It sounds like a life where you have not yet learned to appreciate all the small intricacies of being human.
Maybe I’m thinking about it too hard, or maybe the celebration of time and the day is getting to me, but I think that, to relish the celebration of groundhog day one first needs to learn to pause in life and simply experience a day.
With everything that a day would have to offer, bad moments and good and being present and grateful in all of them.
It took Bill Murray dozens of times to appreciate every detail of life, and that was in a movie so I encourage you on this silly, and festive day to stop- and do the same maybe not experience a whole groundhogs day, but for one second in time experience a moment of present and gratitude.
If you’re ready to experience February 2nd in a groundhog’s day or just want to see if winter is over, you can check out the live stream of the event here
