The Groundhog Day Dilemma

So, yesterday was February 2nd, also known as Groundhog Day. Or, as you non-Americans like to call it, "Monday."

The prediction? Six more weeks of winter. Surprise, surprise.

In any case, the event got me thinking about that classic Bill Murray movie that goes by the same name, in which he relives the same day over and over and over again. And that, in turn, made me think.

What would I do if I had the chance to re-do an entire day?

It's hard for me to come up with a definitive answer. On one hand, if I lost my memories from the first time around, I'd probably wind up making the same decisions. Whenever I choose one path over another, there's a reason behind it. So, I imagine I'd always come to the same conclusion, regrets and everything.

On the other hand, if I did remember (like Bill does in the movie) I think it would be way different. I'd get the chance to explore all those what ifs; to say yes when I said no before; to choose the other path.

But then there's also the thought: What if time were to start up again randomly? The idea that the days would continue on suddenly, especially without me knowing when, brings up a whole new set of questions.

What if you made a decision that would severely shorten your life-span and then had to live with the consequences? Or alternatively, what if you made a risky decision that wound up changing your life in the best possible way?

And that's the core problem of what I've dubbed the "Groundhog Day Dilemma" - no matter how many "do-overs" you get, there's always going to be "what ifs."

My advice? Take each day for what it is. Don't glorify it. Don't dwell on the problems. Be happy for the good things and do your best to accept the things you can't change. Celebrate the good things that came out of today and always strive to have even more to celebrate tomorrow.

Still... a little speculation never hurt anyone. And now I'm curious.

What would you do if you had the chance to start the day over?

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I want to say sorry for the short hiatus. It took some time to get settled in to the new semester, but I'm back now! From now on, I'll be posting every Tuesday. See you soon, and thanks for reading!