MM#73--Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Welcome to the theory to action podcast, where we examine the timeless treasures of wisdom from the great books in less time to help you take action immediately, and ultimately to create and lead a flourishing life. Now, here's your host, David Kaiser.

Hello, I'm David and welcome back to another Mojo minute. And as the title of this Mojo minute says, It's the most wonderful time of the year. And surely it is because it is Christmas week. Christmas is one of my most favorite times of the year. And even though we live in a post Christian culture, there are still reasons to get excited. And one of my favorite traditions to get excited about is to grab an adult cocktail, and watch the great Christmas movies of years gone by. 

And for me, the top of that mountain, my number one spot in my proverbial Mount Rushmore of all time, great Christmas movies. The very best one of all time, is it's a wonderful life. Which came out with little fanfare in 1946. Yes, some people make the mistake to believe that the movie was a hit from the beginning, and it certainly was not. It was released with great expectations. Life magazine gave It's A Wonderful Life. A six page spread, Newsweek, popular at the time, not so much now. Along with Life magazine, Newsweek, at the time, put it on its cover. But sadly, the box office returns were soft. And in fact, the New Yorker magazine said of it, quote, so mincing as to border on baby talk, unquote. 

Dang, they really rip them, didn't they? And sadly, the paper of record back in the day, the New York Times, said quote, for all its characteristic humors Mr. Capra is wonderful life is a figment of symbol, Pollyanna platitudes, unquote. Wow, extremely harsh words, by the paper of record, which does kind of seem funny now that we look back on it. The New York Times, as we know now, was denying the Jewish Holocaust was happening at the very same time they wrote those words, despite overwhelming and ample evidence. So the real tragedy wasn't this movie review. But it really was not telling the truth to the readers at the time of what was happening to the Jewish people in Europe under the Nazi regime, which was frankly disgusting, if I might say so. I digress. 

So back to It's A Wonderful Life. So all through the 50s and 60s 60s, the movie was rarely watched. Only in the mid 1970s, did it start to gather momentum to become a hit classic as we think of today. And for more information on this wonderful classic, let us turn to as we always do a book. Bob Welsh has written a wonderful little gem titled 52 little lessons from It's A Wonderful Life. And all 52 little lessons are very good, I might say. Now, this book is only 20 224 pages. It's a very quick read. And one of the reasons I love the movie so much, is because of the human truths, which it displays. It shows these human truths on a movie screen, that very rarely anymore, can Hollywood or any one else reproduce. And it shows truths about human nature that we all know deep down inside, we just have to be reminded about and one of those deepest of human truths is that you matter to the world. You are unique, and you are special. Whether you believe it or not. God really doesn't care whether you believe it or not. He made you and Bob Welch, in his wonderful little book articulates this point so well. 

Let's go to the book. As always with a quote.  On Christmas Eve on his Christmas Eve tour of life without George our haunted hero had just had that doors slammed in his face by his mother at mA Bailey's boarding house. Not even she acknowledges knowing George and how could she after all, and clearances ploy to make George understand how much his life had mattered. He shows him life as if he was never born. After the encounter the young Mr. Bailey is still convinced he has been placed under quote some kind of spell by Clarence. His desperation mirrored in one of those dramatic Capra closeup shots of George's face. It is a look of panic, a fear of emotional discombobulation. Quite the opposite of the upbeat close up earlier in the movie when Capra had his Wonderboy freeze frame Wow, in pursuit of a suitcase so he could travel the world. I want a big one, George Bailey was saying in the movie. Amid George's chaos clearances leaning on the mailbox at the curb holding his volume of Tom Sawyer in his hand, he then speaks the most profound line in the movie, quote, strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. And when he isn't around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he? Unquote. 

In short, we matter. We make a difference. We are the proverbial pebbles in the water. And our ripples go out so much farther than we think. Now think about that. If you go back to the movie, his own mother didn't recognize George Bailey Whoa. That is haunting for any human being. But after watching three quarters of the movie and then seeing his own mother not recognize Him, and ending that conversation with the door slammed in his face, it is still haunting every time I see it. And as a viewer, at that moment, you could really feel for George Bailey in his predicament. Who else could help him in this earthly life if his own mother couldn't help him. Anyone who has had family which suffered from dementia will know the sensitivity and sadness around not being recognized by a mother or a father or an elder. Especially as the disease progresses. Many friends have shared with me these extremely difficult times. And it's especially sad for any human being to go through. The back to the book Welch captures the movies drama, and the writers deserve huge applause for this line in the movie. The strange isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around, he leaves an awful hole doesn't he? Set clearance his guardian angel. It was one of those incredible teaching moments that the movie wonderful life captures in this book, and the movie reminds all of us that all human beings are made in the image of likeness and God. And every human or every individual has an inherent dignity as a human being. And this is most often lost in our culture of utility, where a climate exist of widespread moral uncertainty. And we always just debase each other very, very quickly. 

But back to the book, quote, Clarence decides to show George what life would have been without him. Why? To remind him what life is with him. The way his actions, words and attitudes have affected those around him.

To recap with George in the world, his brother Harry saves an entire transport of soldiers in World War Two because George saved Harry from falling in the ice in the opening scene when they were kids. With George in the world, Mr. Gower, the local pharmacist becomes undoubtedly happier and sober despite his own son's death. Without George, he's a depressed drunk stumbling through the town and being mocked. The list goes on and on, ending with Welsh reminding us the bigger idea here is that God's have asked in God's vast universe, we matter that our actions change the actions of others, and that when we're not around, we are missed. In a world where it's easy to feel small and insignificant. Could there be a more profound message in it Movie, unquote. 

I think not. And I think Mr. Welsh nails it. So in today's Mojo minute, I hope every week and especially this week, you will know your infinite value in God's eyes, no matter if you are young or old. You are the apple and God's eyes. Let us all remember, George Bailey, and his wonderful lesson that it truly is a wonderful life. So now grab some eggnog and perhaps an adult beverage and cozy up in front of the fire this week to watch this classic movie. I will see you in front of the TV. Cheers.


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