you can change how your story ends

[song straining from a bedside clock radio] “Then put your little hand in mine, there ain’t no hill or mountain we can’t climb… Babe, I got you babe. I got you babe.” And thus begins Phil Connors’ day.

The scene is repeated over and over throughout the movie Groundhog Day. Bill Murray plays the main character, Phil Connors, who is a curmudgeonly weatherman sent to report on Groundhog Day.

In Phil’s mind, it’s a nothing assignment, far below his big star status. His only goal is to report the story and get out of town as quickly as possible, but fate has something else in mind. Phil finds himself stuck in an endless time loop, repeating Groundhog Day over and over again.

When Phil realizes he’s living the same day repeatedly, he begins using his knowledge of the future for his own benefit. Then Phil falls in love.

In an effort to become a better man, more worthy of the woman he loves, Phil begins using his days to improve himself. He rescues people in need, befriends the lonely, learns to the play the piano, and begins to appreciate the simple things of life.

Phil gets the chance to do what we’ve all wished we could do at some point in our lives… he gets to have a do-over, a chance to go back and fix his mistakes.

What would you do if you had a second chance to do-over some moments in your life? Would you speak kinder words? Be more patient? Forgive? Apologize? Maybe appreciate a few people before they’re gone?

If we had the chance for a do-over it might be fun to relive our best moments, the glory days, but I’m guessing we’d rather have a chance to redo our worst moments, our times of regret.

Unfortunately, we don’t get to do what Phil Connors did. We don’t get a do-over to fix our mistakes. But C.S. Lewis wisely noted we still have hope. He said,

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” 

C.S. Lewis

No amount of wishing or worry can change the past. The sun has set on on the mistakes you’ve made. But the opportunity for a new ending comes with every new day. You can never go back, but you can take a step in a new direction. Regardless of how your story began, you can still write a better ending.

How will you write the ending of your story?