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