Groundhog Day

Today is Groundhog Day - the day, in Pennsylvania at least, when Punxsutawney Phil emerges from hibernation to determine whether we’re in for a long winter or an early spring (He predicted 6 more weeks of winter). It’s also the day we are most likely to be reminded of Bill Murray’s 1993 movie in which a reporter is forced to relive the same day (Groundhog Day) over and over again until he gets it just right. 

It’s a comedy, but it makes you think about what it would be like to live your life on a loop, to see no end and no progress in sight. It may be funny when a famous actor relives February 2nd endlessly, but for many individuals in real life it feels like a sad truth. 

Think of young adults in foster care. So many feel trapped in a cycle that seems beyond their control - at a foster home or a group home or a medical facility, unable to see their friends or make their own choices, their future dependent on others. And think now of adults struggling to make ends meet as they wake up every morning, head to a low-paying job, and spend their evenings trying to determine how they can pay that month’s or week’s bills. 

It must feel like the same day, the same frustration, the same loop over and over regardless of how hard they try to break it - Bill Murray’s Groundhog Day without hope of a romantic ending. 

At the R.J. Leonard Foundation, we aim to give young adults, whether still in foster care or out on their own, an opportunity to live a new day. We help them find the resources they need to take the next steps toward whatever their goals, their February 3rd, may be. 

To find out how you can be a part of this work, visit www.rjleonardfoundation.org. ​