WOW! Just finished watching Its a Wonderful Life. My first time ever seeing it. I wish more of us could stop and take some time to peer through the windows of our lives to truly appreciate how good we really do have it. Thought Id share these 7 enduring lessons from the movie. Tis the Season ...spread joy and love. Remember to be kind to those around you, for you never know what trials and tribulations y our neighbor may be experiencing... Fortunately, Its a Wonderful Life is still around, and its chock-full of terrific lessons, ranging from moral to financial to practical. Here are seven: 1. Your life has purpose Each mans life touches so many other lives, and when he isnt around he leaves an awful hole, doesnt he? says the angel Clarence to George Bailey. One of the obvious points of the film is that, without George around, so many things would have been different. We learn that Bedford Falls, for example, would have been Pottersville. Of course, Zuzu and the other children would never have been born. But the impact would have stretched far beyond this small town. George saved his brothers life that day, says the angel Joseph, recalling when Georges brother Harry fell through the ice of a frozen pond. Years later, Harry would become a war hero, saving the lives of others. The point is, we have no idea how significantly our lives affect others. But thats only part of the reason to value your life. Aside from serving others, our lives should be viewed as a gift. As the angel Franklin notes, At exactly 10:45 p.m. tonight, Earth time, that man will be seriously thinking of throwing away Gods greatest gift. 2. Keeping up with the Joneses is for saps This message is subtly sprinkled throughout the film. But the final example, writes Bob Welch in his book 52 Little Lessons from Its a Wonderful Life, comes when Georges son announces that the neighbors have a new car. Well, whats the matter with our car? George snaps. Isnt it good enough for you? Georges ambition to be more than he is creates a lot of his problems, and is the cause of much restlessness and unhappiness. This is not to say that we shouldnt strive to better ourselves, but that maturity requires finding a balance. Learning to fully appreciate the blessings we have is a daily struggle for most of us, but most of todays pop culture only reinforces consumerism and naked ambition. The question is, how are we defining our worth these days? Its a Wonderful Life leaves us with a clear message about that. Dear George, remember no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings. Love, Clarence. 3. Bad guys dont always get punished In many movies, the final scene shows the bad guy being led away in handcuffs, writes Wes McAdams, a pastor from Texas. It makes us feel good, knowing that justice has been served. Not so in Its A Wonderful Life. In fact, nothing bad happens to the villain. I love how George Bailey runs past Potters window and yells, Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter! and thats the last scene in which we see him, adds McAdams. In an era when things tended to be resolved before the The End sign appeared on the screen, Its a Wonderful Life deserves credit for not solving every problem with the tinkling of a bell, adds Mark Spearman. Welch also notes that in the 1940s, the Motion Picture Production Code definitely stipulated that criminals must be punished for their crimes, and the case has been made that Mr. Potter might have been guilty of larceny. During a Q&A in 1968, Welch recalls, Capra was asked about why Potter wasnt punished. [O]ur main interest was what happened to George Bailey. This Lionel Barrymore (the actor who played Potter) character was too crusty, too old, too happy with what he was doing to change. So we just left him as he was. It would have been easy to turn Potter into a sort of redeemed Ebenezer Scrooge who had seen the error of his ways. But in addition to avoiding a predictably sappy trope, Capra also reminded us that sometimes bad people get away with doing bad things. 4. Dont hire someone just because they are family This is more of a practical maxim, but with all the touch-feely lessons in the film, its important to cull some not-so-obvious and not-so-pleasant realities as well. Uncle Billy, the brother of Georges father, nearly ruined the business, recalls Julie Rains. He drank on the job and didnt seem to be a productive employee even in the best of times. George could have hired a better employee or given him lesser responsibilities, somehow finding a way to show generosity in a way that didnt compromise the business. 5. Appreciate how blessed you already are During his tirade, George tells Mary, Everythings wrong! But after his experience with Clarence, his whole perspective changes. This, explains Welch, is because the stuff that does matter — family, friends, and faith — has now risen to such pre-eminence in his life that the rest doesnt really matter. Thus, he says things like, Oh, look at this wonderful old drafty house, Mary! Mary! 6. How to deliver a good toast Okay, this one isnt so deep, but it is an important skill. In one scene, George and Mary deliver this toast to a new homeowner: Bread, that this house may never know hunger. Salt, that life may always have flavor. And wine, that joy and prosperity may reign forever. So often we drone on during these moments. But simpler really is better (and often more eloquent). It reflects a sentiment woven throughout the story, that things of true worth are not measured in dollars, but in the currency of friendship and family, and the good karma one puts out into the world, writes Mark Spearman. 7. Marry the right person Georges mother tells him that Mary is the kind who will help you find your answers. She was right under his nose all along, of course. But once they do get married, she sticks with him through thick and thin.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 04:21:39 +0000
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