Imagine if You Had Never Lived
By Steve Gahagen
In the classic Christmas movie, “It’s A Wonderful Life,” George Bailey finds himself trapped in Bedford Falls. His dream of seeing the world and becoming wealthy never transpires because of family and business setbacks. Every time he is ready to leave town, something tragic happens. When his father unexpectedly passes away, he takes over the Bailey Savings and Loan. It is constantly on the edge of collapse because of his heart for the average worker and their right to own a home. He marries a local girl and they end up living in a broken down old house, which is a constant reminder of his failure to succeed.
There is a moment when all seems lost. Uncle Billy makes a tragic deposit mistake and an evil banker, Mr. Potter, is determined to bankrupt the Savings and Loan and destroy George Bailey’s life. In that moment of crisis, with the weight of the world on his shoulders, George Bailey wishes he had never lived. Strangely enough, he is given the opportunity to see Bedford Falls as if he had never lived.
His wife never married and became reclusive and, of course, his children never existed. The town had become a place of darkness because he had not been there to stand up for the common person. Poverty and corruption reigned.
George Bailey never saw what he really had - a beautiful family, friends who were grateful for his integrity, the way he had changed a community. Up until then he mostly saw what he was missing. In the end, his friends rescued him by taking a collection for the Savings and Loan. And he realized he had a wonderful life.
When we work with young people who face obstacles that could lead to hopelessness, we help them imagine what could be. What are the possibilities if they could see themselves differently and leverage their talents to transform the world? In a way, we want them to imagine that a world without them is not a better place.
Questions to Consider:
What prevents us from seeing the wonder of our lives?
How does being uniquely you play an important role in living a wonderful life?
What are five reasons you have a wonderful life?