My daughter is a movie buff and decided that we needed to have a late Xmas treat and insisted that we sat down to watch “It’s a Wonderful Life”, the James Stewart movie.  If you haven’t seen it, briefly it is about a good man who basically spends his life sacrificing his opportunities to be successful in order to help others.  One day his uncle / employee loses his bank’s money on the day of an audit and he faces jail and and ruin.  He despairs and contemplates suicide.  At the last minute, his guardian angel saves him by showing him the impact he has had on the lives of everyone he has touched and the cumulative difference all his good deeds have made.  In the end, everyone turns up to help him and he realises just how rich / lucky he is.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and it seemed a perfect counterweight to yesterday’s blog.  Yesterday I asked how you measured your success; this movie reminds us that everyday we have an opportunity to build a legacy of small but positive contributions to those we encounter.  I have always believed that if everyone goes even a little out of their way to help; if we do unto others as we would like them to treat us that the world would be a better place.

I wish you all a very happy holiday and a prosperous 2010…