Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Today marks the midpoint between Groundhog Day and the Spring Equinox and, incidentally, is also Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.
Though all three rituals focus on growth and begin in February, we associate the month of March with natural renewal and development. After all, with the beginning of spring, March in Kansas marks the advent of greener grass, buds on trees and more consistently warm weather (despite the wind — but it’s always breezy here).
Then there’s April rain and May flowers; June, July and August of vacations and late evenings; September is going back to school and the extravagant colors of October (not to mention Halloween); November and December, the holidays with family and friends; January, a new beginning. But really, it’s those six weeks held under the Groundhog’s sway, ending in mid-March, that we experience the greatest season of personal growth.
Think about it: truly testing those New Year’s or Lenten resolutions against those dark, cold days, just longing for the excitement and comfort of warmer days (OK, so we’ve had some unseasonably warm days this month). February and March are just a fight, morning after morning, to extricate yourself from bed, shower, eat, go to class, eat some more, go to more class, do homework, fall asleep later than you should and wake up to start the whole process over again.
When looking at the four weeks of February, I simply planned to make it through, five days at a time. But, on Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, I watched the movie that bears the same name — starring Bill Murray.
Watching it this year, I remembered why I loved it — not for the humor or the music (“I’ve Got You, Babe” by Sonny and Cher over and over again) — but because of the feeling one gets from watching Murray. He eats everything he wants, has sex, steals money, gets drunk, runs from the cops and kills himself in a whole host of ways, including driving himself and the groundhog off a cliff.
Yet after months of reliving the same day, and even proclaiming himself a god, he realizes he can gain from every day. It’s a slow and, at times, painful process, but everything finally comes together, culminating in the perfect day.
Though none of us may have to bear a year reliving the same awful day, the stretch we’re in is the closest we’ll get to doing just that. It’s tempting to go through the motions in anticipation of spring break and the warmer days that follow, but “Groundhog Day” offers a better solution — improve.
Find something different to busy yourself with each day that contributes to yourself or the community — over the course of 40 days, perhaps (after all, a habit takes three to four weeks to create). ‘Tis the season of growth: Take advantage before it’s too late.
— Holmes is an Overland Park freshman in political science.
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Comments
Holmes: Getting through the season of groundhogs and growth
Holmes you are spot on. For Catholics, lent is no longer about giving up chocolate. It is about giving up prejudice, hate, all the fat that clogs the arteries of our souls. Yesterday President Obama talked to congress about giving credits to college students who do volunteer work or join Vista or the Peace Corp. It's not about giving up fun and parties, it is okay to enjoy your life. It is about finding that balance between getting what we want and helping someone else to have something.
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