Sunday, February 2, 2014

PHIL Your Day With What Matters

Not only is today Super Bowl Sunday, but it's also Groundhog Day. A strange pairing, but sometimes the Universe works in bizarre ways...

Today Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his hole and saw his shadow, supposedly predicting six more weeks of winter, which translated in today's fearful world is: IT'S GONNA BE COLD! THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE LOTS OF SNOW! GOTTA GET THE BREAD AND MILK!

Shocking, I sarcastically drawl, especially when nowadays, living anywhere in the U.S. means having to deal with a little (or a lot of) snow during winter. So for all of you who groaned when the marmot saw his shadow, and remembering that the groundhog's forecast is an exact predictor (still oozing sarcasm here), six weeks should be a relief. Spring is SEVEN WEEKS AND THREE DAYS AWAY in terms of actual seasonal divisions. It's as if he didn't see his shadow after all; when you look at the scientific facts that have been passed down year after year, either way, according to Phil, we get an early spring.
Used With Permission From Google Images

I have to admit, I was saddened by the enormous amount of social media posts expressing outrage over the mythical forecast. For some, today's weather was cold and snowy, but for those of us in my neck of the woods, WTF?? The sun was shining and it was 50 degrees! Could you just enjoy it and worry about tomorrow's weather...I don't know... maybe TOMORROW??

My point is driven home by another Phil who made the news today: Phillip Seymour Hoffman. At 46, the Academy Award winning actor died of a drug overdose. He was found with a hypodermic needle still stuck in arm, casting a shadow over his life as well as a coveted career and reputation, and predicting at least six millenniums of nothing from this actor. His death leaves some wondering what is to become of the Game Maker and the revolution that he helped to orchestrate in anticipation of MOCKING JAY the movie.

Used With Permission From Google Images
After hearing the news, I met up with my friend Debby in the supermarket. She's one of the kindest and most generous people I know, so when it comes to the heart and soul of people and things, I trust her. After commenting on how sad it is that another great talent has been silenced, we agreed that in so many cases of drug abuse, which in my opinion is a form of attempted - and sometimes successful - suicide, if the person could look ahead to the grief suffered by those that are left behind, they might not hurt themselves. Feeling unloved and unlovable is a terrible thing, even if he told "60 Minutes"in relation to his drug of choice, “It was anything I could get my hands on. “I liked it all.” (excerpted from: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-philip-seymour-hoffman-dead-20140202,0,7122179.story#ixzz2sCtMsPEG ) 

It sounds like the high felt better than the other things going on in his life. So much so, that anything would do...but I don't presume to know what he was thinking or feeling for sure. I do wonder though, was he excited about the Super Bowl? Bummed about the groundhog's prediction?

Loving yourself means respecting your body and what you put into it. That includes thoughts and the havoc that negative beliefs can wreak on our psyche. Do you love yourself enough to stop worrying about myths like Groundhog Day and to put that same amount of focus on propping up yourself and others? My experience has been that when I remember to compliment myself at least once a day, and to acknowledge three other people with love in the same time period, the rewards are joyfully magnificent. When I'm told that I made someone's day just by uttering some kind words, I have fulfilled much of my life's purpose...easily. And when I'm in the presence of a beautiful soul like my friend Debby, it's hard to believe that anything else matters as much as that does.

Used With Permission From Google Images




 



CF Winn is the award-winning author of The COFFEE BREAK SERIES, a hilarious group of short stories meant to be read while on break or in the waiting room of the doctor's office. Her first novella, SUKI, has been grabbing hearts and hugging souls all over the United States.

You can now order SUKI in paperback at BOOK REVUE, one of the nation’s largest independent bookstores, by email at info@bookrevue.com or by calling (631) 271-1442.
Learn more about SUKI at BOOK REVUE http://www.bookrevue.com/localauthors.html

 More posts like these can be found at Humor Outcasts and The Patch where she is a regular contributor.
CF Winn is the founder of Winning! Publications, a firm specializing in editing and promotion services for authors. Her latest project is the just released Trailer Trash, With a Girl’s Name, a hilarious and heartwarming story of a boy saddled with a girl’s name and forced into a nomadic existence. Order it now: http://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Trash-With-Girls-Name-ebook/dp/B00IX0MIAO



10 comments:

Michael said...

aren't groundhogs sort of cute?

CF Winn said...

Cute, yes. Useful for predicting the weather...ahhh...not so much.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

A good read as usual. Why shouldn't I believe a Cute , furry animal, who is as good as a weather predictor and our Weather people?!?! I dislike them too!!! lol

Anonymous said...

Another awesome read by my friend Chris Winn!! Your words are like food for the soul!!! Blessed to call you my friend! <3

CF Winn said...

Way to be positively sarcastic Sean! No one will ever know what a great person you really are! Your secret is safe! LOL

CF Winn said...

And that is why you were my muse for this. Back at ya! I hope many readers get the same feeling we have and spread it around...

Medic2RN said...

Great post, as always.
I am by no means an expert in the field of addictions, however, I do have some experience dealing with addicts. By definition of suicide as killing oneself intentionally, the same could be said for most illnesses or disease - COPD, DM II, heart disease, etc. I think that in this country, people with mental diseases are dismissed as something intentional or just a plain lack of discipline.
It's tragic he lost his life at such a young age, I wish he could have received the treatment he needed prior to this ultimate outcome.

CF Winn said...

Medic, thank you for reading as always. That is a wonderful point you make. While some mental disease stems from a chemistry gone wrong, for so many, it is caused and then perpetuated by the dismissal you mention...no wonder there are those that turn to substance use. We all need to be acknowledged, whether we are sick or well. It's a basic human need and I think that everyone should take that responsibility seriously.

Medic2RN said...

Thanks for your response.
I also forgot to mention that I would like to smack that overstuffed rat with a shovel.
Is that considered inappropriate? ;-)