Just Writing Through: The Lessons I Learned from 'Groundhog Day' -- 2021 Reflection

I grew up close to where ‘Groundhog Day’ was filmed. My parents took us to watch some of the filming – see very dated photo of me with Mr. Bill Murray in the background.

I'm guessing I had no idea who Bill Murray was, but my father -- to whom the photo credit goes -- likely was pretty excited.

Since then, I’ve moved to the town, reported on the festival for many years, and had opportunity to interview many involved with the film as well as visitors who come just to see the site.

Over the last several years I’ve met two guys from New York who bonded in grade school over the movie and made a pilgrimage here for several years just for the festival, a couple from Germany who celebrate their anniversary on Feb. 2 and came to Woodstock last year to enjoy Groundhog Days, a man who painted sets for the movie back in 1992, the locations manager for ‘Groundhog Day’ Bob Hudgins who has all the stories, the stuntman who leapt out of the bell tower for Murray, the chairman of the Groundhog Days committee, and, of course, Stephen Tobolowsky. Most recently, I was able to interview a McHenry county native who had a role in the movie – and a star on her trailer.

It’s been a whirlwind.

I had only watched the movie but one time before last year. It wasn’t a film I felt I needed to watch again and again, however, after listening to Tobolowsky, Hudgins, and the stuntman (let me tell you that that bell tower is a LOT higher when you are standing in it!), I thought I would watch it another time.

After giving it a second viewing last year, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. This year, the kids asked to watch it, so we had a movie night, and, much to my surprise, I enjoyed it even more. First, there is the fact that we walk by all of the places Phil Connors does, and it is fun to see our Square on television. Then there is the fact that we know some of the people – and know the stories behind the stories. But the thing that impressed me most this go-around was that I’d watched Murray and Tobolowsky run scenes for the Jeep commercial last year. I saw the way they interacted. I saw the way they goofed around, and I also saw how they got the job done. And then I saw the final product – and it was a great perspective on life. I spent a long time chatting with Tobolowsky, and the way he spoke about the message of the movie truly inspired me.

So this third time I watched it brought more contemplation.

As I watched the day on repeat, I reflected on the ways in which Phil Connors changes.

Perhaps it was because I had just spoken with Angela Gollan – the piano student who gets shoved out of her lesson so Connors can learn to play, but I took another, more in-depth look at some of the other “minor” characters and how they were impacted throughout the film.

Those ‘minor’ characters begin to seep into the very fibers of Connor’s being. Oh, not at first. In the beginning, Connors is merely trying to do whatever it takes to get out of February 2. Then, his goal shifts to trying win over Rita, eventually using the information he has to manipulate the situation. When none of this brings about change or happiness, he attempts to get away with whatever he can and, eventually, tries to kill himself – all with the same result: Each morning, he awakes at 6 a.m. on February 2. It is a never-ending cycle. Then, a unique thing begins to happen: he starts to notice people. He doesn’t just pass them by, he really notices them – what they need, who they are, why they are who they are. He begins to take a vested interest in their happiness as he grows to know them a little more each day. He tries to make a difference in their lives even though he knows it will only be forgotten as the day begins again. But, he knows. And, that is all that matters.

On his last day repeating February 2, Connors actions are determined, not by the crazy desire to do things he knows will never kill him, not by the idea that he could try to impress Rita, not by his fascination with becoming the center of attention with his eccentric Groundhog Day broadcast; no, his actions are determined by the people with whom he’s interacted day after day.

He grows to care about the homeless man who he once passed by with disgust. He manages to catch a boy falling out of tree to prevent his broken leg, he helps change a flat tire, he saves the mayor from choking on a piece of steak. He doesn’t have to do this. They will all have another chance at life the next morning. Perhaps in taking the opportunity to develop skills in areas he never would have pursued before, he becomes a man who finds joy in using the full potential of his life to make a difference in the lives of others.

On that day, it seems that everyone who is anybody – and anyone who isn’t anybody – knows Phil Connors, but to Phil, life is no longer a popularity contest. He acts from the heart – and that catapults him into February 3.

That message resonated with me ever so much more this year. We are coming up on the anniversary of a year where many of us have been isolated, working from home, separated from the ones we love, and masked when out. This is hard. Our souls were not meant to do this life alone. We are a social people. When you smile with your eyes at the grocery store, when you send a card to someone unexpectedly, when you text a friend out of the blue, when you stop to think about what someone needs and not just what you could do, when you wave from across the street – that is the message of ‘Groundhog Day’. It means caring even when it is hard. It means repeatedly washing laundry or making dinner or catching someone falling out of a tree – even when we are never thanked for it. It means remembering someone’s name and treating them with respect – because you know you could change the outcome of someone’s day, or, even, their life. It means being reckless with your love – showing up, getting to know the person beyond the façade, caring about who they really are, and letting them know that they are worth getting to know.

Today, no matter if the groundhog sees his shadow or not (If you are curious, Woodstock Willie did NOT see his shadow, which means – there will be an early spring!), I encourage you to be the sunshine in someone’s life. Smile. Buy a cup of coffee for someone. Say, ‘hello.’ Send a text. Write a letter. In the end, life is more about the way we care for others than it ever will be about what we accomplish.

Thanks, Phil Connors, for teaching us so much about life.