Happy Groundhog Day, Perhaps this day has never had such meaning as in this past year of a succession of Groundhog Days… We are living in a different world. In the old days, the groundhog sighting his shadow allegedly was a predictor of the weather. If the groundhog steps outside and sees his shadow today, it could mean any number of things:
He should have stayed indoors and avoided contact with others
He will have to wait an extra month for his second dose of Pfizer
He will see that there are, indeed, other groundhogs out there anxious to play
California will lock down again.
Today is as good a time as any to note that we’ve been at this for 326 days (and counting!), starting Saturday March 14. By now, nearly everyone has had their own “COVID Birthday.” Hopefully not too many will have to face two birthdays celebrated socially distanced from friends and family. Sorry, Lauren—hopefully you are one of the few! My sense that some of our fellow citizens will not take the necessary precautions to stop the spread of the virus. We will be at this for a while longer. The recent protests of anti-vaxxers and right wing extremists at Dodger Stadium and the increased anti-vaxxer traffic on social media is very concerning. I hope this most will resist the temptation to rush to get “back to normal” before we beat this thing. Hopefully the vaccination program will accelerate, become more transparent, and become easier to access. We are all stretched beyond our comfort zones. It is an anxiety-ridden time that does little to calm our mental health. As social animals, we are being deprived of the amount of human contact we have been used to. But we need to persevere. I am reminded of the film Groundhog Day (still, and I’m serious, one of the greatest movies in the last 25 years). Bill Murray’s character lives the same day over and over. Over time his reaction evolves from anger to frustration to depression to nihilism. But eventually he sees the time in his isolation of time and place as the opportunity to grow as a human being. He discovers music, art, foreign languages, the value of community, the personal fulfillment of helping others, and love. I’m committing to rededicate my time toward pursuits such as these, as I dig through a stack of books, continue to stay in contact with loved ones the best I can, continue to engage with community initiatives, learn a bit more French (only if Ken will speak with me), enjoy short weekend jaunts with Andrea, and live in this new (but only temporary) reality for a while longer. Onward! Glenn
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