Today is Groundhog Day.  On February 2 in the U.S. and Canada, people focus on a groundhog as the weatherman of the day.  Here is the formula used to determine if winter is almost over:

• If it is cloudy when the groundhog leaves his burrow, he will scamper away indicating winter is almost over.
• If it is sunny when he leaves his burrow, he will see his shadow and he will be scared back into his burrow.  That means winter will continue for six more weeks.

In the movie, Groundhog Day, a self-centered and mean-spirited weatherman, Phil Connors played by Bill Murray, travels to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to cover the annual Groundhog Day event.  He has grown weary of this assignment and he gives an obnoxious report and tries to return to Pittsburgh when a blizzard shuts down the roads.  Phil and his cameraman and new producer have to stay in town an extra day as they wait for the snow to melt.

A strange thing happens to Phil, he gets up the next morning and it is February 2 all over again.  Groundhog Day is happening again and again and again and each day he wakes up, Groundhog Day festivities are all the same and so are the people.  The same things happen exactly as the day before.  Absolutely nothing changes.  He has the same conversations and disagreements over and over again.  He is stuck in time and he doesn’t know it, but he must learn some valuable lessons before February 3 can roll around.

Once he begins to focus on others around him he becomes less of a jerk and things change.  He listens to each conversation to learn from it.  He makes a decision to help others.  He knows their needs because he saw them the day before.  He actually looks at each person and learns to love them.  Every experience is a learning moment and he takes each new lesson learned day after day to become a better person.

Then one day he wakes up and February 3 shows up.  He can move on with his life. 

How many of us are having the same conversations, experiencing the same issues or problems in our life and we are not learning the lessons?  Is it because we are not really focused or listening deeply?  Are we too self-centered to care about fixing the problem – since it is obviously someone else’s problem and not ours?

How many times will our country repeat history until we get it right?  How many times do we have to say “No” to spending, “No” to socialism, “No” to intrusion on our freedoms before our leaders get it?   How many times will we “hire” the wrong leader in the White House, Governor’s office or Mayor’s office before we get it right?  Are we really learning our lessons or are we doomed to wake up every day with the same issues facing us and the same rhetoric coming from the mouths of our “leaders?”

What are you doing to make your life better?  What are you doing to make America better? 

Will tomorrow be any different?  It will not be different unless you are different or you view things differently.

Let Groundhog Day be your defining day.  Change what you want to change about yourself.  Listen to others around you – really listen!  Look for the good instead of the bad.  Stop the negativity and find something good to share with others.

Let Groundhog Day also be the day you activate your citizenship and become involved.  You can no longer burrow back in and wait for six more weeks.  We do not have six more weeks.  We need everyone on deck doing their part to save our country.  Will you sign up today to do something good for your country?  We hope so and we have claimed February – “Love Your Local Tea Party” Month.  Get involved with a local tea party and begin to make a difference and help save liberty for generations to come.  You can sign on as a Tea Party Member at www.fctpcommunity.org and if you really love liberty, you can make a donation there too or you can send a check to:  First Coast Tea Party, 11437 Central Parkway, Suite 107, Jacksonville, Florida 32244.  Local tea parties must ask for money to keep the tea flowing.  Your help would make a difference. 

In the meantime, we hope you will learn some valuable lessons today, February 2^nd.  Enjoy the day and enjoy everyone you come in contact with.  There is certainly a lesson to be learned and some people to be admired and loved.  Try it and let us know how your Groundhog Day turned out.

May you find great joy in this day.