It's Still a Wonderful Life

Anchor Chains

George walked to the front of the ship. How different he felt the last time he looked over a rail into water, life, just like water can bring calmness and calamity,

"Last stretch before home, Mary. You know, the irony of this whole journey is that I spent so much of my life wanting to get away from Bedford falls. To get out of that town and see the world. And when I finally did - I spent all of my time talking about it, and if I'm being honest, wanting to go back.

I have met so many people on this journey; people searching for themselves, people sure of themselves, people somewhere in the middle lost in a bay of despondence, missing some fundamental link that it seems is just so automatic in a small town like Bedford falls.

My father said that he figured we filled a fundamental urge at the building and loan, and when I think back on these past few months, I don't think that I was doing much different than what I do at the Building and Loan.

Along with fulfilling my lifelong dream of travelling, I was still helping people, I coaching people, I even loaned them money.

I think that I've helped people to see those fundamental needs that they are missing - the ones my father spent his whole life helping people achieve - a roof over their head, walls around their loved ones and a fireplace to keep them warm, better put, a home.

Mary, there are so many people in this world who are missing a home. A real home, not just the building, but a place filled with the love, and safety and consistency and surety. They're missing what you so naturally gave me and our children and what they can now give our children because of your sacrifices.

And so, what I think I've discovered, is that its not that places that fill your life up -, even though this world is truly beautiful, but really, what makes life beautiful, worth living, are the people, and knowing that amidst this world, there is a place you can call home.

I could travel the world and if I didn't have a home with people in it to love, I would have nothing. And I could have never traveled past that Bedford falls sign, but because I have a home with people to love, I really do have everything.

And if what my friend Clarences said was right - that no man is a failure who has friends, then I think in addition to that, there is no greater measure of a man than his home- even if their passports are filled.

How's that for a philosopher? Huh Mary? You wont believe it, but I think I'm ready to go home. I'm ever so homesick for Bedford falls.

Clink, clink, clink, clink, clink, clink

There goes the anchor. What an amazing sound, I'm so glad I got to hear it on this side of the world, but Mary, I'm just not so sure that its the best sound in the world anymore.

~

The sweet smell smoke puffing up the chimney filled Georges senses as the soft crunch of a Christmas eves snow fell blanketing him in comfort. The song of Christmas carols filling his ears. Walking up the path of the old inn, stopping to look at the window, Mary threw a wishing rock at all those years ago when it sat in desolated anticipation.

He didn't know that his life would turn out like it did when he walked a young eighteen year old girl home from a high school dance. But he was ever so grateful it had gone the way it did.

"Grandpa George! Grandpa George"

Little Mary came running down the stairs leaping into his arms. "I missed you!"

"Dad! You're back so soon!" Janie, a mirror image of her mother came into the entrance. "Merry Christmas!"

"I couldn't miss Christmas Eve with you all - you're mother wouldn't have liked it! You did the house up..."

"Just like mom would have." Said Janie hugging him. "We couldn't go the first Christmas without this old place decorated, your wife wouldn't have liked it!"

"Come on in the living room tell us all about your trip." Said Zuzu.

Looking around his living room, he suddenly didn't want to talk about the buildings he saw, the people he met or the places he went, so sitting on the sofa, with his grandkids gathered around him he said, "Do you kids want to know the three best sounds in the world are?"

"We know dad, we know," said Tommy

"Train whistles, airplane engine and anchor chains." The room said in unison.

George smiled, "Those are good sounds, but I think I have found better ones- the patter of children's feet, the laughter of loved ones, and well, for me - the town bells began to ringing-

"Grandpa George- listen, listen! The bells! Do you hear the bells?"

"I do, little Mary, I do." Smiled George. "Those bells, those bells are the best sound in the world, because they mean, I'm home."

"To home!" Pete raised his glass.

"To home," The room echoed.

"Grandpa George," Little Mary said, taking Georges face in her tiny hands. "Teacher says, every time a bell rings, an angel gets her wings. Do you believe that? Grandpa George? Or do you think its hogwash?"

"I believe it, my little Mary," George said scooping her up in his arms. "I really do. Looking up he winked "Good job, Mary, good job! Merry Christmas."