Phunny Phil

Groundhog's day ( and my mother's birthday). I got to thinking about the day, and the whole tradition of the prediction of 6 more weeks of winter or spring. I started to reflect seriously on why the shadow means run away, here comes winter, and why no shadow means welcome springtime. Especially since today was a beautiful day, sunny and above freezing. And yet, there was Phil's shadow, and away he/she ran. ( It can be either a guy or girl, sometimes its Philomena) How ironic that when the weather is most inviting, the tradition is to hibernate some more. And yet when the weather isn't that great, Phil decides to come on out and enjoy the cloudy unpleasant scenery.

I then got to thinking about life, (cliche- I know) and thought that perhaps Phil's little demonstration is more than just a rookie weatherman's dream. Perhaps its an analogy. ( since we all know how much I adore analogies) You see, the nice weather, which we would normally welcome, is shunned and seen as awful and forboding. On this one day, the nicest possible day, is most hurtful towards Phil. Just as the favored, and nicest people in our lives have the potential, on certain days, to be the people that are most hurtful towards us. What is it about this day that changes everything? Why is the sun bad? Why does the shadow mean to run away? Why do the people you care most for hurt the most? Do you see how this all fits? On this occasion the same sun that we adore and brings us warmth and growth is seen as the sign for 6 more weeks of cold and death. Just as the same people we adore who bring us warmth and joy are able to inflict the most pain. And have you ever noticed that the sunnier the day, the worse the shadow? So perhaps the closer and better the person the worse the hurt?

Well, of course this is how the world remembers this day, and how they choose to view it. And even though it is only one day of the year, I would rather not a single sunny day be seen as a bad thing- ever. And since Puxotoney's ( or however they spell it) only source of income is their lil rodent I highly doubt that they will change the tradition and befriend that shadow, so I guess we should all try to be the person who never has a groundhog's day. This way, when it seems to be "that time of year" no one will have to fear a sunny day, or those close to them, because unlike the movie, not a single day is Groundhog's Day.

todays' colors for the canvas...? It was bright, and even though I did encounter a shadow or two, I chose to befriend them.