MCFTM – What Has Bill Murray Taught Us?

In life, you have decisions to make. Most of these decisions revolve around how you will respond to what life brings your way. I like the idea of responding rather than reacting. As the old adage goes when life gives you lemons make lemonade. 

Today, we are dealing with Lemons aka COVID-19.  How will you respond? How will we respond? Like most 40 somethings I have chosen to turn to Bill Murray for guidance. The great American actor made two films that seem to have been cut in order to guide us through these sour days of uncertainty. 

The first lighthouse is Groundhog Day. Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, a tv weatherman who in his own arrogance believes he is beyond the task of showing up in Punxsutawney, Pa. to watch a groundhog do his job. Phil finds himself in a time loop which includes doing the same thing day after day. Sound familiar? For the first several days, Phil maintains his level of smug by being his normal hedonistic self. However, as the movie progresses so does Phil. He decides to respond rather than react. Phil begins to see Groundhog Day as an opportunity for growth and personal development. He learns the piano, how to sculpts ice and to speak French fluently. Most importantly, Phil begins to think of himself less and think more often of other people. As a result, Phil breaks out of the time loop a better human. 

The second lighthouse Bill Murray offers us in this storm is What About Bob.  Bill Murray’s character Bob Wiley is a highly obsessive, germophobic and anxiety-driven patient who recently began getting therapy from Dr. Leo Marvin. Dr. Leo Marvin is a self-absorbed character who is seeing his star rise based on the recent success of his book Baby Steps.  Dr. Leo Marvin’s advice to Bob is to take a vacation from his problems. Bob does so by following Dr. Leo Marvin and his family to their month-long vacation on Lake Winnipesaukee. The serene setting is destroyed by Bob’s relentless and obsessive need for Dr. Leo Marvin’s help. Ultimately, Dr. Leo Marvin is rendered catatonic after seeing Bob unintentionally destroy his Good Morning America appearance and accidentally blow up his vacation home. Bob ends up a phycologist and famous author while Dr. Leo Marvin is stuck in a stupefied state. Bob was always a people person and Dr. Leo Marvin was always Leo Marvin person.

I have been accused of quoting movie lines that are outdated. But, I insist they are timeless and are an important part of our snarky generation’s legacy.  One of the side benefits of the shelter in place has been watching these classic movies alongside the 42 pack of microwave popcorn I purchased in preparation for the quarantine. My oldest daughter is a freshman in high school and tends to be the most appreciative of these weekend viewing party’s we have shared thus far. 

So why did Bill Murray come to mind when I let my mind wonder about the effects the virus may have on us long term? I’m not sure, other than the fact that he is an introvert who becomes an extrovert on film and provides some socially awkward insight into what we are all dealing with when we stare at each other from 6’ away at the grocery store.

What do we learn from all of this? 

In the midst of this difficult time, wash your hands, take this time to improve yourself as a person, think of yourself less often, and take a vacation from your problems.