The holiday season is a time where we often reflect on the wonders of the past year, show our love to the ones we hold close and celebrate with grand family traditions. One tradition that spans many families during the holiday season is to curl up on a couch and watch classic holiday movies like Miracle on 34th Street, White Christmas or Meet Me in St. Louis. But there is one holiday movie that reigns supreme at reminding us what the season is all about.

 

It’s a Wonderful Life is my favorite holiday movie. And it is no surprise that I am not alone with that sentiment, because it tops most lists for best holiday films. It’s hard to say exactly what makes it the best. It might be the writing that bring us quotes like “What is it you want, Mary? You want the moon? Just say the word and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down… I’ll give you the moon, Mary.” or “every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings.”  It might be the charming, playful nature of Jimmy Stewart that wins us over with every smile. Or the feeling that Bedford Falls is just like anywhere U.S.A. The message from the film that rings the loudest and clearest for me now is how life can change in a flash and sometimes, we need to be reminded why we should cherish it.

In the movie we see George Bailey, a beloved father, husband and a beacon
in his community, reach the lowest point of his life and is left contemplating suicide. He is greeted by a funny old man named Clarence, who claims to be George’s guardian angel. George doesn’t believe a word of it and declares he wishes he never was born. Clarence then shows George all the lives he has touched and how Bedford Falls would be, for the worse, had he never been born. Thank goodness for Clarence because he helped change George’s perspective.

I believe we all have loved ones around us, acting just like Clarence. They
watch over us and keep us safe.  I had my own “Clarence” with my Uncle
Marvin. Although he had passed many years prior, I now know that he was the one sending me those messages to help save my life. As I describe in 37 Seconds, he was the one who made me see what life would be like if I was gone.  I didn’t realize it until I had died, but he was there.  He was ALWAYS there.

 

You can know they are there by the little things, like the time you feel that little breeze with a hint of her perfume or find the book he referenced to all the time, out of place, or the time you were in a car accident and walked away without a scratch on you. (That just happened to me last month).

These are all little and big signs of those loved ones watching over us from the beyond and keeping us safe.  That I had my passed loved ones trying to warn me to fight for this wonderful life.

We need only acknowledge these passed love ones by listening with an open heart.  Who knows, we might just help them “earn their wings” or their messages might help save your life. We don’t need to die, have a near death experience or see what our life would be like had we never been born to realize that this IS a wonderful life.

So during this holiday season hold your families close, laugh full and heartily, take in all of those precious moments and keep an ear out for bells.

Happy Holidays from my family to yours!

Stephanie