It’s a Wonderful Life

For many folks it’s a tradition to watch the movie It’s a Wonderful Life in the weeks leading up to Christmas. They like the message the story has to say about giving and helping others. It’s funny, but I actually like to watch the movie after Christmas, leading into the new year.

As most of you know, the story is about George Bailey and how his Building and Loan is short $8,000 and facing a bank audit. George facing financial ruin and disgrace considers ending it all. He’s about to jump from a bridge, when he ends up rescuing his guardian angel, Clarence, who then shows George what his family, friends, and town would look like if he had never been born and there to perform his good deeds.

The main action happens on Christmas Eve and the story is appropriate for Christmas. However, I feel like the lessons from the story touch me more once the hoopla of Christmas is over. I’m able to take them in more and apply them to my own life. The movie could just as easily be watched in the summer or fall. In fact, the move was actually released after the Christmas season on January 7, 1947.

The key messages are timeless. They include:

• Life has many different twists and turns.
• Good deeds are rewarded.
• Don’t compare yourself to others.
• Great sacrifice leads to great rewards.
• Be thankful.
• Character is more important that power, status, or influence.
• Integrity matters.
• Sharing is caring
• One life touches so many others.
• No man is a failure who has friends.

For me, I actually like to watch the movie closer to the new year as a reminder about what’s important in life. Here’s a hint about what matters, it’s certainly not the lying, thieving Mr. Potter’s of the world and their vaults full of money.