Wonderful

One of my favorite movies is It’s a Wonderful Life.

I watch it every year around Christmas.

This holiday season, I was too preoccupied with Stranger Things, so I still had a few of my Christmas movies left to watch.

Last night, I put on It’s a Wonderful Life. Black and white version. I never watch the color one.

I connect deeply with George Bailey’s character. He works so hard, only to ever feel like what he has done isn’t good enough – even though he has dramatically changed the people in his community in the most positive way.

I can’t describe the impact I’ve had on people, because that’s not honestly my story to tell.

I do know that I, like George, have spent a lot of time waiting for my “time” to come and it seems to just be one obstacle after another.

To add in a Stranger Things reference, I feel like I am always running toward my escape from Vecna’s mind trap, only to have the opening close as soon as I get there.

Anyways, George.

George is a dreamer. He wants to explore the world. He wants to move out of his hometown. He wants to do something that matters.

Even though he can’t seem to do any of those things, he keeps showing up. He keeps helping people. He keeps standing up to Mr. Potter. No matter what, George does what he has to do.

Until Uncle Billy loses the $8000.

George didn’t lose the money, Uncle Billy did, but he still takes the blame, he still shoulders the burden, and he knows he is the one that is going to take the fall for it.

He is so distraught over what he thinks is going to happen that he contemplates taking his own life. He reaches rock bottom in the worst way.

And then Clarence shows up.

I love Clarence because I have a deep and profound belief in guardian angels (worthy of a separate blog).

I believe that God will show up for us even in our most desperate moments, even when we have lost complete faith.

Which is exactly what Clarence represents: hope – even in the face of impossible circumstances.

I’ve asked God on several occasions in my life to let me have a George Bailey experience. To see what the world would be like if I had never been born.

But he hasn’t.

Instead, he gave me George Bailey, and I suppose that’s why I rewatch it, year after year, as my reminder.

We often forget that the ordinary is, in fact, wonderful. The simple, the commonplace, those things are the everyday miracles in our lives.

I really like to think that after everything he goes through in the movie that he eventually does take that trip to Europe (and that Mr. Potter gets some serious karma for stealing the $8000).

Either way, this movie reminds me that even though I can’t see how each choice I make, or each word I write, or every lesson I teach will eventually impact the people around me, I at least know that I must have some purpose in the grander scheme of things, because I’m here.

Attaboy, Clarence!

❤