| As I usually do over the Holidays, I watched | | | | is trying hard to get his wings and become a |
| one of my all-time favorite actors in one of | | | | full scale angel, but has to accomplish a |
| my all time favorite movies and that's Jimmy | | | | task in order to do this. His task is to help |
| Stewart in "It's a Wonderful Life". | | | | George help himself get out of this mess. |
| Co-starring Donna Reed and made in the 1940s, | | | | George, by this time, has swallowed his pride |
| the movie was not critically acclaimed at the | | | | and even gone to Mr. Potter (who knowingly |
| time, but over the years has become a stable | | | | has the money Uncle Billy had left in his |
| of the Holiday Season. If you have not seen | | | | lap) and ask him for help. George tells |
| it, you need to, and if you have, then you | | | | Potter that HE has misplaced the money, which |
| all know it revolves around a small town | | | | Potter knows is not the case. He responds by |
| businessman George Bailey from Bedford Falls, | | | | telling George he will call the Sheriff and |
| New York, who, as he grows up, has all of | | | | swear out a warrant for his arrest for |
| these dreams of doing wonderful things with | | | | embezzlement and malfeasance of office. In |
| his life, and hopes of traveling to all the | | | | his effort to offer collateral for a loan, |
| farthest points in the world. His plans are | | | | George tells Potter he has 500 dollars equity |
| constantly interrupted by world events and | | | | in a whole life insurance policy. Potter |
| family circumstances, which include the death | | | | tells him he is worth more dead than he is |
| of his father, the great depression, and | | | | alive. George leaves and begins drinking and |
| World War II. George's father and his Uncle | | | | becomes intoxicated and gets in a fight at a |
| Billy years earlier had started the Baileys | | | | local bar. After the fight he leaves in his |
| Brothers Building and Loan to help the less | | | | car and runs into a tree in a heavy |
| fortunate people of Bedford Falls obtain the | | | | snowstorm. George arrives at the bridge |
| great American Dream of home ownership. Their | | | | across the river and thinks of Potters |
| only alternative is high rent or exorbitant | | | | statement, and is contemplating suicide by |
| interest rates to the local scrooge Mr. | | | | jumping off the bridge when Clarence Angel |
| Potter. Uncle Billy is a classic ADHD type | | | | second class arrives on the scene. Clarence |
| individual. An Irishmen, like me, who | | | | throws himself in the river and begins |
| apparently has never been married, has a pet | | | | screaming for help, knowing George will save |
| crow he carries around with him, and a pet | | | | him. George jumps in and saves Clarence, and |
| squirrel at home. He is constantly worrying | | | | they go into the railway station nearby to |
| and has little self esteem.George manages to | | | | dry off and warm up. Clarence tells George he |
| support his family after marrying Mary, who | | | | is an angel, which George mocks. While |
| is played by Donna Reed, and having a house | | | | discussing things, George says everyone would |
| full of children. He sees a lot of his | | | | be better off if he (George) had never been |
| friends go on to success in other areas, and | | | | born. Clarence admonishes him for this, and |
| gives up his hopes of travel and doing great | | | | George insists it's the truth. Clarence |
| things, as he is hopelessly attached to his | | | | seizes on this as his chance, and tells |
| fathers old Building and Loan business. | | | | George that if he really means it, he can |
| George's younger brother Harry Bailey has | | | | make it so that George Bailey had never been |
| inadvertently benefited from George his whole | | | | born.Clarence and George then begin a very |
| life, from the time George saved him from an | | | | enlightening journey around Bedford Falls |
| icy death in a winter lake sledding accident, | | | | which is now known as "Potterville" as George |
| to Harry getting to go to college when | | | | tries to find his family and friends. None of |
| George's father dies, forcing George to stay | | | | whom know him as he has never been born. They |
| home. And finally, Harry going off to WWII | | | | visit the bar that he and Clarence are thrown |
| and George having to stay at home, due to a | | | | out. They go to the cemetery and discover |
| loss of hearing in one ear from his heroic | | | | Harry Bailey's tombstone from when he drowned |
| effort to save his brother in the icy lake | | | | at age 9, because George was not there to |
| years earlier. Harry goes on to win the | | | | save him. George learns that all the men that |
| Congressional Medal of Honor.On the day of | | | | Harry had saved to earn the Medal of Honor in |
| the welcome home celebration for Harry, Uncle | | | | WWII also died, because Harry was not alive |
| Billy has eight thousand dollars of the | | | | to save them. He finds out Mary, his wife, is |
| Building and Loans money to deposit in the | | | | an old maid. His children do not exist. His |
| bank, and he runs in to the notorious scrooge | | | | mother is forced to operate a boarding house |
| Mr. Potter. Uncle Billy, in typical ADHD | | | | to support herself, as George was not there |
| fashion, cannot pass up the opportunity to | | | | to take over the Building and Loan and |
| brag up his nephew Harry Bailey's heroics and | | | | support her. He finds out Uncle Billy has |
| the headlines in the paper about his welcome | | | | been in an insane asylum since George's |
| home celebration. Absentminded Uncle Billy | | | | father died, and the Building and Loan was |
| accidentally wraps up the deposit money in | | | | voted out of business by its board of |
| the newspaper which he braggingly drops in | | | | directors. George suddenly comes to the |
| Mr. Potters lap. When he goes to the bank | | | | realization of what an impact he has made in |
| teller to make the deposit, he realizes the | | | | other people's lives. He runs back to the |
| money is missing, and having no clue as to | | | | bridge, desperately seeking his life and |
| what happened to it, frantically tries to | | | | family back.The town cop comes up and asks |
| retrace his steps back to the Building and | | | | George if he is OK, and George realizes he is |
| Loan. Arriving back at the Building and Loan, | | | | back to reality. He runs home to find out |
| he is in a panic trying to tear his office | | | | that all of his friends and family have come |
| apart trying to figure out how to tell George | | | | to his aid financially, and he will not be |
| what has happened.When George comes in to the | | | | prosecuted. In the piles of money, he finds a |
| office in a great mood due to the upcoming | | | | book autographed by Clarence, thanking George |
| celebration, Uncle Billy tells him of the | | | | for helping him get his wings.The moral of |
| problem. George drags Uncle Billy all around | | | | the story and the message of this newsletter |
| town trying to retrace his steps. Uncle Billy | | | | is that all of us are important, and have |
| naturally continues to go downhill fast in | | | | made a difference in people's lives. Even if |
| guilt and self blame, which culminates at his | | | | some of us feel like we are the Uncle Billy's |
| house when George losses his temper and | | | | of our family, we are important and vital |
| shakes his uncle, calling him a silly fool, | | | | members of our families and friends lives. |
| and shaking him, asking him if he knows that | | | | The world would be a lot less interesting and |
| this means scandal and bankruptcy and prison. | | | | probably a lot poorer if any of us had never |
| George leaves a mess, leaving Uncle Billy | | | | been born.Wish all of you a wonderful |
| sobbing with only his crow and squirrel to | | | | 2005.Patrick Hurley |
| console him. George arrives home on Christmas | | | | |
| Eve and begins taking things out on all those | | | | Patrick Hurley was on the Johnson County |
| people he loves the most (sound familiar to | | | | Sheriff's Department for 17 years |
| any of you? - it does to me).The premise of | | | | (Lieutenant) and was an Adult Probation |
| the whole movie began with God and an Angel | | | | Officer for |
| second class named Clarence speaking to each | | | | |
| other in the heavens about George. Clarence | | | | 5 years. |