A True 'It's a Wonderful Life" Story

It's a Wonderful Life - a  true story

I am still feeling like a new father. I sneak into the bedroom where Cha Cha is sleeping off-and-on all night long to make sure she is breathing. I really don't think there is fear of her breathing to stop but that's how I roll. I am very quiet so as not to awaken her; it helps that she is hard of hearing.

Today we are going to a visitation for the death of our good friend Bill's brother Scott. Scott had been battling for his life for quite awhile; he had cancer of his endocrine system. Cha Cha and I had gone to a benefit for Scott in the town where we were married (right across the street from the church actually) and it was very evident that Scott was very well-loved. Scott was a huge fan of the Hobbit / Bilbo Baggins movies and the family even had a huge campaign to convince Warner Brothers Pictures to let Scott and family have an advanced screening of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies before his death. They had watched all of the films in the series together. This installment of the series was scheduled to be released in December and Scott was not predicted to make it until December. WGN News in Chicago even went to battle for Scott and contacted Warner Brothers Pictures but Warner Brothers were jerks and said "no" and talked about how they get so many requests for things like this... Their exact (canned) response was," We at Warner Bros. Entertainment do our best to fulfill as many wishes as we can. Working with partners like Make A Wish Foundation, we grant wishes for children who have been diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses on a regular basis. Unfortunately, due to the volume of requests we receive, we are not able to grant individual requests." So, in short, if they do not get great, world-wide press coverage out of it they are not interested and they do not "do (their) best to fulfill as many wishes as (they) can...". Children make for better press than adults! The family even tried to contact the film's director, Peter Jackson, with no success. It was even posted on The Tolkein Society webpage (you can see the family's video about the campaign there too). I bet Scott, though wanting to see the film, felt the tremendous love of the people around him doing all of these great things for him against insurmountable odds just like the characters in the films. What a great way to leave this world. The film's release date is this week, December 17th, which means it will be showing tomorrow night at midnight.

Stories like that seem even more poignant this time of year for some reason. I suppose I am just a sentimental sap. I see that as a good thing! We all get wrapped-up in the hustle-bustle of our jobs and our daily lives and sometimes we get foggy as to what things really are (or should be) the most important. Cha Cha being sick has helped me refocus and Scott dying reinforces it even more. I know it seems like I have one of  those "everything is about me" things going on but, isn't that the case with all of us? How else can we see things except for by way they intertwine in our lives? Everything IS about me! And, everything IS about you! And we need to work to make things being about US! It's a Wonderful Life is on USA Network right now and I always get this way when I watch this film. I should watch it every day of the year. Clarence just said, "Strange isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole doesn't he?" Good timing Clarence. This is the color version - I prefer back and white. One thing I did notice more in the color version, however, is how much Ma Bailey changed from the married Ma Bailey to the Boarding House Ma Bailey. I still prefer the black and white version.

Well, I have to get to my Wonderful Life starting with cleaning the kitchen and carrying the plastic Christmas storage bins back down to the basement. There must be some easier way for me to get my wings. Besides, my eyes are all teared-up over this dumb old movie so I can't write much more anyay. Thank you for stopping-in today. I am happy that YOU are part of my Wonderful Life and that you give me a reason to continue to write. Because of Scott and Jill I am going to try to appreciate everything I can today; even the stupid stuff. You need to quit sweating the small stuff too! I know that is easy to say but I am going to try very hard to make that happen for me one day at a time. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!