George Bailey Got Off the Treadmill in “It’s a Wonderful Life”
If you aren’t familiar with the story of George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life”, stop reading this right now and go watch it (especially if you are reading this around Christmas).
George Bailey’s Story
George is a man on a mission. Completely devoted to both seeing and doing big, amazing things. From the time he is very young he has plans to travel the world and make his own dent in the world.
Time and again his plans are delayed, disrupted, and finally crushed. The entire first half of the movie is designed to give us a feel for just how devastating the central moment of his imminent business failure will be. Ever a man of sacrifice and integrity, he takes the bullet for somebody else’s mistake and seeks an honorable way out of the onslaught. With none available, he ponders the unthinkable when he is “saved” at the last moment.
He emerges from this “saving” a new man … completely changed and seemingly no longer living under the regret of unfulfilled dreams.
Changes Coming
For many years, I feel like I’ve been living my own version of the first half of George Bailey’s story. Failed businesses. Family plans unstable. Friendships lost. Everybody surpassing me on every side.
While taking in my annual viewing of “It’s a Wonderful Life” this week I was struck with the difference in which I was viewing his final moment of clarity and joy. Usually I have a longing to have that same type of resolution. To feel settled, calm, and finally “home”. This time, I was identifying gratefully with George Bailey’s resolution.
Lessons Learned
No angels for me or thousands (or hundreds of thousands in today’s money) of dollars of cash donated by my friends but I’m gratefully blessed in my own way.
Of course, none of the money meant anything to George either. Sure, it was welcome, but it was almost irrelevant at that point in his journey. Ok, yes this is just a movie but the connection we feel to it is real and the change represented in George is one available to us.
The change came from seeing his life differently. In perceiving his true gifts no longer as secondary, but as primary to his happiness. At one point he even says, “I’m going to jail, isn’t it wonderful!”
Finding Our “Shift”
This shift in perspective is, in fact, the secret to getting off the treadmill in a way that ALL of us can accomplish. Sure, the “endless amounts of money” method would be fantastic … but it is a much less reliable way.
Instead, recognize that everything you need to be happy … you already have. You have life still left to live. Existence in a society that supports us even when we’re beat down. And opportunities that our ancestors would salivate at.
What are we waiting for?
Thomas runs CuriousPursuit, a site for those that are pursuing life from a perspective of curiousity and expectation. Download our Book Tools for free that will enable you to get more out of what you read.
