Groundhog Day, What is this Miami Beach?

My husband and I LOVE the movie Groundhog day with Bill Murray. To the extent that if it is on television we watch it, especially if it IS Groundhog Day. What I love about this movie is the way it covers so many emotions, and what would you do if you had to live one day over and over again. For his (Bill Murray) character, Phil, gets stuck covering Groundhog Day as a weather man over and over again until he gets it right. Until the moment when he figures out that he needs to look outside of himself to those around him. He goes through every thought process, between what can he get away with and survive, to killing himself to make it end, to figuring out that maybe this life isn't just about him.

This makes me contemplate all the days of my life. With all the peaks and valleys, what one day would I want to relive over and over again. What one day would I rather not, and in that what would I do differently. The movie takes an interesting thought and twists it, turns it, makes you laugh and then makes you think. How would I handle that predicament?

In thinking about this, of course I think of the days that each of my children are born. Perhaps that first time around I wouldn't have waited till it was too late to say OK I've had enough I'll take that epidural now. I think about my wedding day and maybe I would have just acknowledged the fact that me and heels are not a good combination and just had the dress hemmed to fit with the Keds I ended up wearing down the isle in anyway, while I kicked the dress while walking to keep from tripping on it. I think about all the hurtfull things I've said to others and wish I could reel those back in. I think of the mistakes I've made, the challenges I've walked away from instead of walking forward full throttle.

I think of every mistake, every wrong word, every wrong turn and then I stop. What good does it do to look back? What good does it do to think of the things that I should have done differently that can never be changed? I think the moral of the story here is not how we could change the mistakes we've made but how we can look at those mistakes and keep from making them again. How by looking forward and not looking back we can improve and become better people. I can no sooner go back and change the mistakes of my past than I can change the order to the stars in the sky. I have asked for forgiveness. My heavenly father has forgiven me and for that matter knew I'd make them anyway and was willing to send His Only Son to die on the cross for me anyway. What good does it do to think and dwell on things that God has already forgotten? I can only learn and move forward. Praying all the way that as long as I stay on the straight and narrow path I can keep from ever straying from the path He has set for me again.

So again this year I will watch Groundhog Day. I will laugh and I will think. But not about what day I would live over and over again. But of the days I will hopefully be given to do the best I can with. I do love how he is awakened every morning. DJ#1 "OK campers rise and shine, and don't forget your booties cause it's cooold out there today." DJ#2 "It's cold out there every day. What is this, Miami Beach?" After all isn't that why we look forward to Groundhog Day? New beginnings? The end of winter the beginning of spring? It can be cold out there, how will you warm it up?