For my sixth Wisdom Wednesday, I want to use something that I learned from one of the greatest Christmas movies ever made. It is from the 1946 film, 'It's a Wonderful Life', and what it is, is that "You Matter!"
Now you're probably saying, Dylan, thats stupid, and that everyone matters, and you're right, but the problem is, not everyone thinks that about themselves, which is the saddest thing you can ever hear. That is exactly what this old movie tackles. It might seem old and out of date, almost seventy years after it debuted, but what it talks about is so relevant to this day, that it truly shows it was ahead of its time.
Where this comes from is the feeling that George Bailey has in the middle of the film. He has lost his building and loan company to the evil Mr. Potter, lost touch with his wife and kids, lost his friends, lost all the money for the people, and because of that, Mr. Potter is sending the cops to arrest him, and also has nothing else to live for. He tries to commit suicide by jumping off of a bridge on Christmas Eve. His guardian angel, Clarence, stops him from jumping and brings him into a house. George then tells the Clarence that he feels that life would be better off without him, and he wishes that he would have never been born. Clarence then shows George what it would be like if he had never been born. What he was thinking was that he would never have disappointed the townspeople for losing his business, lost their money, and most importantly, would not have disappointed his family.
But what he really sees is that every little thing he did has a consequence now. He didn't save his brother from drowning when they were little, so he died, and didn't go on to save many people in the army, and become a war hero. All those he saved died, and now their families and friends were affected. His wife was beaten by a new husband. The houses he built on an old plot of land for poor people were never built, and those people died from starvation. Even simple things like when he held a door open for people had dramatic affects on other people's lives.
What does all of this mean? It means that even if your life isn't going that great, and if you're feeling sad, don't worry, it will get a lot better. If you wish you were never born, you would realize how different the world would be. That is why each and every single person that you meet, each and every single action that you do, and each and every single second that you live MATTER! This world is better off with all of you guys in it, then without you guys.
In my junior year of Kellenberg, we had a speaker come in, named Bobby Petrocelli, and he has a book that I bought from him that's title reads, "Ten Seconds That Will Change Your Life Forever". It is about his struggle with life after the passing of his wife, and it is a very beautiful book. He talks about his faith in God, but he also talks about mattering. He said that the people that tried to save his wife mattered, the guy who was driving the care that killed him wife, he matters, EVERYONE MATTERS! I got the book signed by him in my lunch period, and he wrote 'To Dylan, YOU MATTER!, From Bobby'. It was a really cool feeling in the moment, and I'm glad that I had him sign it. It became almost like the motto of my class from that point on, until graduation.
So what I say to this is, every day that you live, whether it is fun or it isn't, matters! Everything that you say to anyone and everyone matters. Every action that you do big or small, will have big meaning behind it latter on. Like in the movie, he held the door open for someone who was down on his luck, and he felt better afterwards and lived life. When he wasn't born, he didn't hold the door open for him, and that guy killed himself. Now I know that is a very dramatic scenario, but that can happen. Simple acts of kindness can go a long way.
You have to live and enjoy it. Don't wait for something to happen, go get after it, and do it. Because it is your life, and you need to make the best of it! I ask you to tell people during not just this week, but all weeks, of all years, that they matter. Trust me, it will make a huge difference in somebody's day and life, and then you will live a Wonderful Life!
Was this advice helpful? Would you want to live your life according to the fact that you matter?
Peace and Love,
DGS
Quotes of the Day: "Strange isn't? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around, he leaves an awful hole. Doesn't he?" - Clarence the Angel
"Remember, No Man is a Failure, if He has Friends!" - Clarence the Angel
"What is it that you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the Moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey, that's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the Moon, Mary!" - George Bailey
Now you're probably saying, Dylan, thats stupid, and that everyone matters, and you're right, but the problem is, not everyone thinks that about themselves, which is the saddest thing you can ever hear. That is exactly what this old movie tackles. It might seem old and out of date, almost seventy years after it debuted, but what it talks about is so relevant to this day, that it truly shows it was ahead of its time.
Where this comes from is the feeling that George Bailey has in the middle of the film. He has lost his building and loan company to the evil Mr. Potter, lost touch with his wife and kids, lost his friends, lost all the money for the people, and because of that, Mr. Potter is sending the cops to arrest him, and also has nothing else to live for. He tries to commit suicide by jumping off of a bridge on Christmas Eve. His guardian angel, Clarence, stops him from jumping and brings him into a house. George then tells the Clarence that he feels that life would be better off without him, and he wishes that he would have never been born. Clarence then shows George what it would be like if he had never been born. What he was thinking was that he would never have disappointed the townspeople for losing his business, lost their money, and most importantly, would not have disappointed his family.
But what he really sees is that every little thing he did has a consequence now. He didn't save his brother from drowning when they were little, so he died, and didn't go on to save many people in the army, and become a war hero. All those he saved died, and now their families and friends were affected. His wife was beaten by a new husband. The houses he built on an old plot of land for poor people were never built, and those people died from starvation. Even simple things like when he held a door open for people had dramatic affects on other people's lives.
What does all of this mean? It means that even if your life isn't going that great, and if you're feeling sad, don't worry, it will get a lot better. If you wish you were never born, you would realize how different the world would be. That is why each and every single person that you meet, each and every single action that you do, and each and every single second that you live MATTER! This world is better off with all of you guys in it, then without you guys.
In my junior year of Kellenberg, we had a speaker come in, named Bobby Petrocelli, and he has a book that I bought from him that's title reads, "Ten Seconds That Will Change Your Life Forever". It is about his struggle with life after the passing of his wife, and it is a very beautiful book. He talks about his faith in God, but he also talks about mattering. He said that the people that tried to save his wife mattered, the guy who was driving the care that killed him wife, he matters, EVERYONE MATTERS! I got the book signed by him in my lunch period, and he wrote 'To Dylan, YOU MATTER!, From Bobby'. It was a really cool feeling in the moment, and I'm glad that I had him sign it. It became almost like the motto of my class from that point on, until graduation.
So what I say to this is, every day that you live, whether it is fun or it isn't, matters! Everything that you say to anyone and everyone matters. Every action that you do big or small, will have big meaning behind it latter on. Like in the movie, he held the door open for someone who was down on his luck, and he felt better afterwards and lived life. When he wasn't born, he didn't hold the door open for him, and that guy killed himself. Now I know that is a very dramatic scenario, but that can happen. Simple acts of kindness can go a long way.
You have to live and enjoy it. Don't wait for something to happen, go get after it, and do it. Because it is your life, and you need to make the best of it! I ask you to tell people during not just this week, but all weeks, of all years, that they matter. Trust me, it will make a huge difference in somebody's day and life, and then you will live a Wonderful Life!
Was this advice helpful? Would you want to live your life according to the fact that you matter?
Peace and Love,
DGS
Quotes of the Day: "Strange isn't? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around, he leaves an awful hole. Doesn't he?" - Clarence the Angel
"Remember, No Man is a Failure, if He has Friends!" - Clarence the Angel
"What is it that you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the Moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey, that's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the Moon, Mary!" - George Bailey