As I sit her watching https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It's_a_Wonderful_LifeIt’s a Wonderful Life with my family surrounding, it is hard to imagine why I would ever want to trade it in for another. The fireplace burns, my parents are lounging around not stressing about work, and my sister sits next to me making funny (or snide) comments about the movie. I don’t have classes tomorrow, I have a great boyfriend, and family and friends who love me. My life is pretty great, even wonderful, right now.
However, there are times in life when I feel like George Bailey does in the movie after Mr. Potter takes advantage of Uncle Billy’s forgetfulness in order to see George fail, like everyone’s life would be better and easier without me. I feel like I am a failure, I ruin everything I touch, or that I can’t do anything right. Although I’ve never had thoughts about suicide like George does, I definitely have felt down and hated myself. Whether it be by doing something wrong, making the wrong decision, or just a bad day. Everyone has felt this way, but I believe that this is just a natural part of life. Recognizing our faults and remembering our failures is not always a bad thing.
Clarence, George’s guardian angel, shows him what his world would be like without him. Not everyone gets that chance. We sometimes imagine what it is like, but we can never really know. Like George, we have touched so many people’s lives, and most of them we don’t even realize. Without us being born, many people’s lives would be different. Our friends, family, and even strangers’ lives would be influenced because there would be something, more specifically someone, missing from it. That boy you stopped from getting in his car after that one party? He drove drunk and now faces charges for not only drunk driving but also for killing a family of four. That timid new girl that you befriended in high school? She never made any friends and became depressed. We touch so many peoples’ lives, so why do we think we have never done anything right?
In today’s world, we are constantly comparing ourselves to others. We compare our faults and failures to other people’s successes. But we must remember that we have our own successes and strengths that make us special. We could be someone that another person is comparing or themselves too or looking up to. If we recognize how special and important we are, then can also recognize how wonderful our life is too.
