Groundhog, the Day after.

“Nietzsche believed we live this life again and again for eternity.” I have seen quoted.

No, no he did not. (Sorry Freddie, I’m taking liberties here.)

I see eternal recurrence as a challenge. A life challenge. 

IF, you HAD to re-live yesterday over and over again, forever, would you?  Yes, no? Why? Why not?

If the answer is something like- “I would, if such and such, was or wasn’t an option.”

Buzzer sound- “EEEEEEH.” Wrong answer. 

Example, “I would want this day again if it was not so cold and snowy; if I didn’t have to work; if I weren’t sick; if these people around me would just…”  

Nope. Try again. 

If the answer is “that’s dumb, it is just a silly idea and movie.” Ding ding ding. Well then you will be right! Have a good day.  Come back when you have a crisis.

If the question slowly creeps up on you, sits with you and begins to haunt you. If you feel nausea, a sense of profound dread at the prospect of Nietzsche’s suggestion- Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life. (If you can take it.)

I have done this Groundhog lessons at the high school level.  I’ve heard the reviews on a spectrum- from-“we just watched a stupid movie.” To “I started thinking about the movie deeper” “my life feels like groundhog day, but it really isn’t” To the few that said “oh god, this isn’t funny, Newson, what has philosophy done?” 

The movie is inconsequential. The idea, IF understood, is exquisite. Problem is, you can’t explain it, and it certainly is not found in data reports. It’s like the best part of sex. You can’t explain it, but you know what it is when it happens. (No, I did not say that in school, but I wanted to. Good analogy.) Sorry kids. 

Although it is not on any spread sheet, I can tell when someone really starts to get IT. They go ashen. A click, a spark flickers in an instant. Then, I know. I know when someone says “I get why you tell your stories.” It is not because I am a narcissist. (Well that could be, I’m not there yet, and I hear narcissism is the most difficult to treat.) I tell stories to demonstrate my struggle, and hopefully connect to others who struggle as well. Honesty is painful, and I keep going, and

I can tell when someone gets IT. They get IT when they stop asking me more about me, and picking my life apart, and turn the conversations to, oh this is about me! “what am I to do?!?!” 

Anyway, it becomes an understanding that I am willing to be vulnerable (scary) and am willing to take responsibility for my actions- weird and misunderstood as they are. That is freedom. Freedom to make mistakes. What about you?

You want freedom? Really? If that does not scare the shit out of you, you may want to rethink ‘freedom’ because we don’t really have words to describe it in the first place.

“A smile and a baseball bat,” Became my motto. I smile because this life stuff is AMAZING! A bat because this life stuff is frickin HARD! Got to be tough. Prepared. It’s a test. Only-

Your test for this and all other lessons have already been administered.

Your test is not what answers you have to put down on a computer. 

Your test is what answers you have when your computer is down.

Your test is not taking more tests during a pandemic. 

Your test IS the pandemic.

You ARE going to die.

Your test is, how do you want to live? 

I.School Groundhog Day could be a dumb lesson/ movie, or a life-changing concept for beginning to live-The Good Life. This is the first day of the rest of your life. Again. For whom?

For none and for all. 

For when the student is ready… 

Oh, and no, I’m not ‘there’ either. Just on the boat or train or what other analogies you like. Nonetheless, joyfully struggling- with a smile and a bat.