Yesterday was Groundhog's Day and we learned from that insightful little rodent, Punxsutawney Phil, that we will have to suffer six more weeks of winter. Living in San Diego, the threat of an extended winter doesn't quite hold the same meaning as it does for people living in the northeast. So far this winter, I've only had to endure temperatures that range from the mid 60s to the mid 80s. In fact, my biggest weather-related dilemmas have mostly centered around the question of flip-flops or shoes.
Of course this whole Groundhog's day thing is just for fun. As superstitions go, it's a quaint, charming little tradition. All this attention given to Punxsutawney Phil comes with an implied wink and a knowing smile. Meteorology has come a long way. With rare exceptions (too disturbing to mention), most of us don't consult rodents when we have questions about the weather. Nor do we blame the messenger, human or rodent, bearing news of a storm. Most of us simply don't feel like we need to control the weather in order to get along in this world.
Sure, we all have our preferences. We may even participate in a rain dance or two (in a non-denominational sort of way). But typically, if we feel cold, we put on a jacket. If it's raining, we carry an umbrella. We don't usually wait for the weather to comply with our wishes before we decide whether or not life can happen each day.
Even in extreme weather conditions (and I know they exist; I've seen footage onTV), we usually don't give Punxsutawney Phil, or any other reporter, veto power over life. We adjust or adapt – either what we do or how we do it – and move on with our lives.
You can probably see where I'm going with this. Navigating through the metaphorical storms of life isn't really so different than other forms of navigation. We'd laugh at a sailor who answered the question, “Where are you going?” with, “I don't know; it depends on which way the wind blows.” We might find it a bit less laughable if they were headed for Hawaii yet ended up in Alaska and all they had to say for themselves was, “It's not my fault; the wind wasn't working properly. I shouldn't have to keep adjusting the sails!”
But when I look back on some of my conversations and the “holding patterns” of some of my thoughts, it amazes me just how often I seem to be opting for some kind of Punxsutawney Phil form of logic. Why is some area of my life 'not working for me' or seem to be stuck? Because something 'out there' (or sometimes, everything in the entire universe) is out of compliance with what I think it should be.
It sounds silly when I phrase it like that – which is probably why I try real hard not to phrase it like that. But when my reasons for being stuck in life all point to something outside of myself, I might as well be blaming Phil.
Sure, we all have our preferences. We may even participate in a rain dance or two (in a non-denominational sort of way). But typically, if we feel cold, we put on a jacket. If it's raining, we carry an umbrella. We don't usually wait for the weather to comply with our wishes before we decide whether or not life can happen each day.
Even in extreme weather conditions (and I know they exist; I've seen footage onTV), we usually don't give Punxsutawney Phil, or any other reporter, veto power over life. We adjust or adapt – either what we do or how we do it – and move on with our lives.
You can probably see where I'm going with this. Navigating through the metaphorical storms of life isn't really so different than other forms of navigation. We'd laugh at a sailor who answered the question, “Where are you going?” with, “I don't know; it depends on which way the wind blows.” We might find it a bit less laughable if they were headed for Hawaii yet ended up in Alaska and all they had to say for themselves was, “It's not my fault; the wind wasn't working properly. I shouldn't have to keep adjusting the sails!”
But when I look back on some of my conversations and the “holding patterns” of some of my thoughts, it amazes me just how often I seem to be opting for some kind of Punxsutawney Phil form of logic. Why is some area of my life 'not working for me' or seem to be stuck? Because something 'out there' (or sometimes, everything in the entire universe) is out of compliance with what I think it should be.
It sounds silly when I phrase it like that – which is probably why I try real hard not to phrase it like that. But when my reasons for being stuck in life all point to something outside of myself, I might as well be blaming Phil.
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