IT IS A WONDERFUL LIFE!!

Appreciate again and again, freshly and naively, the basic goods of life, with awe, pleasure, wonder and even ecstasy, however stale these experiences may have become to others. -Abraham Maslow

Never let frustration or disappointment tarnish your appreciation for all that is good in life. Every day say Thank You to the source of all that is good.  -JLH

There is an amazing scene in one of my all time favorite movies,"It's a Wonderful Life" where Jimmy Stewart's character George Bailey is bouncing around town giddy with excitement as he is about to embark on an overseas trip that he has dreamed of since he was a boy. 

It is safe to say that the idea of  traveling abroad was to young George Bailey a passion, purpose, dream and a mission.  Since he knew what travel meant he made it his life long pursuit and goal and it drove and consumed him!!

Well, in this scene this day had finally come and he exuded joy, enthusiasm, excitement, and barely contained his glee as he was about to begin his dream!!

This dream was put on hold due to his father's sudden illness and passing and going George, instead of taking the easy route and pushing forward with his dream with little regard for others decided to do the "RIGHT THING" and postpone his trip to take over the family business.

I am sure we all know the rest of the story in this amazing timeless classic.

George never realizes his dream of traveling abroad, even when given the opportunity to do so by the evil Mr. Potter.  He is "stuck" in his life, his dad's fledgling business, his sleepy town while his friends get wealthy, and his brother becomes a war hero.

He is thrust into a situation whereby he attempts to take his own life instead of face the ruin and humiliation that he feels will result from the problem he faces.

But guess what?? 

Spoiler Alert!!!!!!!

That does not occur and he is saved by an Angel, Clarence, sent by God to show George how truly blessed, special, wealthy, and fortunate he was to have the life he was living.

What makes this Christmas time classic special to me is multi pronged:

We all feel that we can do better, live better, have more, expect more from our lives and I am certain that all of us at some point has been young George Bailey - filled with dreams and expectations, excited about the future, disappointed by life and life's battles, twists and turns. 

Faced with seemingly unsolvable problems where there is no light at the end of the tunnel, no hope, no possible way we see our way to joy, happiness, and light!

Some of us may be on that proverbial bridge George found himself on, with no solutions in mind and bad thoughts in our heads as to the only way out of it.

And then BAM!!!!

What happens??

We pray.  We change our thoughts and mindset.   We ask for help and guidance.

And help arrives!!!!! 

We are shown, as George is in the end, that what we have going on, despite the pain, worry, disappointments and setbacks, despite the seeming lack of a way out or no hope in sight, what we have in our lives - all of us--- is a BLESSING!!!

GOD responds to our cries for help, NEVER abandons us, Never leaves us to battle alone!!  We may not see it right away, but it is True!

Friends and family arrive like the cavalry to our side and get us through whatever it is we are battling!!!

This is what I love about this story!!

George is indeed the richest man in town and not even Potter's bank account, or Hee Haw Sam Wainwright's wealth can eclipse that in value!!

And so are we!!!

So many of us do not reflect enough on what matters in life and what is true "success" and it is up to all of us to point these out to our brethren so they too may have that Wonderful Life experience in their lives!!!

Ding Ding - another Angel just.......

;)

Stay Strong!!!!