Mr. Potter : [into the phone] If you close your doors before six p.m., you will never re-open!
[there is a loud click as George hangs up]
__________
I think there are so many life lessons and metaphors in this classic Christmas film and as I decorate my new home and full, large Christmas tree tonight, alone, I ponder the obvious question: Why am I still doing this?
Moreover, why am I still doing much of what I am doing?
Why am I hanging pictures on the walls, painting, decorating, home-making and some days, seemingly cooking for a whole family and freezing food here?
Seriously, why?
Well, I’ll answer that right off.
Because that is who I am, and this is what I’ve always done.
Yes, business as usual, when nothing is truly “as usual.“
__________
I have been back north almost two full years now and I’ve seen my youngest son just one time. At another location, on a holiday. He has not accepted my invitations to come to my new home, to date, for any reason. While he recently responded to my text that he was not opposed to possibly meeting up with me for lunch sometime, and I am hoping for that before Christmas, this is an unknown.
I am hoping – and believe – my oldest son will be able to be here at some point around Christmas time, but he is very busy these days, and firm plans tend to be made last minute.
I have good neighbors here, but I don’t anticipate they will be much inside my home to enjoy my decorations. And while I would love to have a party and invite them in, I am so very stretched right now with my work commitments I don’t think that is possible, this year…
When I relocated back north and to this place – through crisis, difficulties and then, pandemic – I don’t think I could have imagined how a number of things have played out in this situation.
__________
Such is life.
There are no guarantees.
Holidays are difficult for many, and many have their own musing questions of why.
Why celebrate, why do business as usual when their world is upside down.
I think of those who have lost a loved one to death recently.
I think of those facing new and difficult diagnoses or dealing with chronic, worsening conditions, and aging.
I think of those that are in some other form of upheavals, estrangements or wearisome difficulties, where nothing is quite normal.
Surely there are countless reasons anyone could have for finding themselves in a situation or season of life where they wonder if refraining from Christmas traditions and celebrations is called for this year.
They may wonder whether the wisest (or easiest) thing to do would be to retreat, to pull back from potentially lonely activities which remind them of their disappointments, losses and griefs. To consider celebrating a waste of time, energy and resources.
__________
While there are truly times when life forces us to put traditions and routines aside, I do believe whenever and however possible, the holidays are a time when even if we journey somewhat alone or our family is unavailable, it is the very time when maintaining traditions to the extent possible is even more important.
Traditions connect us with our past, present and more importantly, our future.
I’m a big believer in continuity and re-framing, (as opposed to severing and avoiding), and patiently maintaining hope even in situations that seem to have no hope and no end in sight.
In some sense, these traditions and even small, sacred acts of contemplation and joy may be viewed as acts of living faithfully.
The quote I began with as just one little take-away from this Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life, is from the conversation George Bailey has by phone with Potter during the famous bank run scene.
Clearly it is a crisis and business as usual was the last thing that banks were engaging in on October 29, 1929.
But that George Bailey, he was a patient man with both intelligence and simple thoughts.
When his father’s sudden death disrupted his own dreams of going to college, he chose the faithful way of doing what the situation called for and in a sense, required of him.
He made new dreams, and he was blessed in those, too.
I suppose in this creative film script, the way that George Bailey kept his head about him that day in the midst of crisis speaks to his lifetime of doing the best he could think to do in the middle of difficulties.
From his saving his brother Harry when he fell through ice to his young-but-conscientious-interactions with the Apothecary he worked for who was about to unintentionally poison a customer with the wrong mixture, George kept his head about him.
So Potter’s ploy by phone that day to send George’s “Savings and Loan people” his way was easy for George to sniff out. Potter’s comment to George was not intended to help or encourage him but manipulate, and with an assumption based in hubris that George, would in fact, be unable to succeed that day.
_________
I think the thoughts we can draw from this scene regarding Christmas celebration (and other applications, too) is that sometimes in life, we cannot allow a metaphoric closing-down of our traditions, hopes, values and lives during times of difficulty.
It seems true that in some cases, if we close down our doors in defeat and discouragement, all our life’s aims and life’s works may never truly re-open again.
And with that, I pull out decorations that haven’t hung on a tree in three years (nor a tree in my own, true home in ten years), put on our traditional Peter, Paul and Mary’s Christmas Concert to listen to, and decorate.
Because I refuse to metaphorically “close my doors before six p.m.”
Click!
Doors Still Open – for the blessings and surprises of this season!
Thank You For Reading
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