It’s Groundhog Day which is a day that has significance to me. In the classic movie, Groundhog Day, the main character, Phil, a weatherman, wakes up to report if the groundhog sees his shadow. However, for him every new day turns out to be Groundhog Day over and over again. He becomes stuck in a seemingly endless loop, repeating the same things he did the previous day. He’s rude and arrogant, reeks of sarcasm and contempt for the world, and simply put, he’s kind of a jerk.
As Phil becomes increasingly aware of his ability to change how this same day turns out, his life finally begins to change for the better. He also begins to attempt to be a better human. I often refer to my life as Groundhog Day, in reference to the movie.
When Ron and I spoke before prospective adoptive parent groups we used this reference to help them understand what they would be undertaking if they chose to adopt a child with special needs. Admittedly, it drove some folks away, but the instructors never discouraged us from speaking the truth. Better to recognize now that you weren’t able to take on the challenge than later when a child was in your full-time care. We also learned how to make each day a new day, embrace and enjoy it even though it may appear the same as the day before.
The significance of Groundhog Day in the traditional sense is whether or not the groundhog sees his shadow as he crawls out of his hole in the early morning hours. If he sees his shadow, winter, it is assumed, will continue for six more weeks. We tend to think of winter as cold, dark and an imprisonment of sorts. It keeps us locked inside, unable to enjoy all the light, warm, bright sunny days that surely lie ahead in spring and summer.
I’d like to offer an analogy of winter and its cold darkness to that of our own shadow; that deep, dark secret place we try to conceal and hope no one sees. It is the part of us we deny, pretend doesn’t exist, hide, and know we can soon put behind us as the light is sure to shine again and bury the shadows within.
When you woke up today did you see your shadow? Did you recognize it, acknowledge it and embrace it as part of your “whole” self? There is a common thought in our world today that we must only embrace the light, not give attention to the dark side that exists within us or it will grow. I believe in order to heal and fully live in the light we must first embrace and fully experience the darkness. We must also do something that will bring us into the light, balancing the dark, scarier, tougher, parts.
Debbie Ford, one of the authors of The Shadow Effect, writes, “Our shadows hold the essence of who we are. They hold our most treasured gifts. By facing these aspects of ourselves, we become free to experience our glorious totality: the good and the bad, the dark and the light. It is by embracing all of who we are that we earn the freedom to choose what we do in this world. As long as we keep hiding, masquerading, and projecting [the negative messages we hide] inside us, we have no freedom to be and no freedom to choose.”
The movie, Groundhog Day shows us that we have the power to change our outlook and if we are feeling trapped, stuck and drained making a few changes can help us witness the change that is possible within each of us. But it also shows us Phil, the weatherman’s shadow, his dark side, the side we hope he soon identifies. It is only after he recognizes it himself, embraces it, sees how it’s effected his day after (same) day experiences that he is able to see the light, make conscious choices to change and experience life to its fullest.
Today, I challenge you to look for your own shadow along with the groundhog. Will it be six more weeks of dark days ahead for you? Are you willing to embrace your shadows as part of your whole being, experience them fully and stop hiding in a dark hole, but come out to show the world your true self? Are you willing to do make some changes and adjustments that will bring both joy to you, and happiness to the people around you? You have the power to choose, to change, to shine your light, and the right to love every part of yourself.
It’s all about perspective,
Pam
