In the beloved holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life”, it’s almost Christmas Day and troubles have overwhelmed George Bailey. After crashing his car near the river, he convinces himself the world would have been better off if he hadn’t existed. But before he can throw himself off a bridge, Clarence (his guardian angel) appears to him and offers him the opportunity to see what the world would be like if he had never been born.
It occurs to me that 2020 was much like living in a Bedford Falls that had never known George Bailey. Only in our version, “George” is a standard of ethics that had guided us for over 200 years - and which we, as a nation, once held in the highest esteem. In our version, however, we had forgotten the forewarnings of our founders to beware of “…cunning, ambitious and unprincipled men… enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”[1] (Note: Today, “men” would include all genders, races and members of any political parties.)
We had abandoned the expectation that each of us—up to and including the privileged and influential—would be guided by the most honorable human traits – e.g., honesty, fairness, wisdom, open mindedness, inclusiveness. Once we allowed our lofty ideals to weaken, our democracy became vulnerable to abuse.
In 2020, the toll came due. We watched as our nation began to crumble, like a sandcastle at high tide – our inability to respond appropriately to a deadly and foreseeable epidemic; wide-scale loss of employment and de-stabilization of economic opportunities; decreasing standards of living for those at the lower (and most populated) levels of society; cannibalization of our rich and diverse American way of life through divisiveness and violence, encouraged by government officials. All while a small number of the most advantaged individuals used these distractions to further absorb assets—intended to nurture and sustain an entire nation—for their own personal agendas.
In George Bailey’s experience, he realized—before it was too late—that as long as there are people who share the same basic standards of morality, a better future remains attainable. I’d like to think that our recent elections reflect our realization that—regardless of political party affiliation—there are enough of us who still hold to a core of ethical principles meant to build an America that can achieve her promise: a society that enables all its members to reach their potential and create satisfying, productive and successful lives. It can be done without diminishing one another to accomplish it, but only if we choose to focus our minds on it.
Of the many religions and philosophies followed by Americans everywhere, they all seem to provide similar guidance in this regard, such as:
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”[2]
In 2021, may we become a stronger, wiser, richer, more united, and more compassionate People. And may we vigorously hold our leadership—and ourselves—to a higher standard, which will bring out the best in us.
Warmly wishing us all a steady resolve and much progress in 2021.
- Jodi
[1] President George Washington’s Farewell Address of 1796.
[2] New International Version (NIV), Philipians 4:8