What if you were never born (A wonderful life)

I know Christmas is over, but I wanted to share this since January a high suicide risk month.

Have you ever seen the old Christmas movie "It's a Wonderful Life" from 1946 with Jimmy Stewart  and Donna Reed.  I watch it every year.  It is about a man, George Bailey, who has a dream to travel the world, but plans change when his father needs help with his banking business because it was going under.  Many things happened over several years and he could never get on top financially or be where he wanted to be in life.  It got so bad he began to feel it would be better if he were never born.  So he jumps off a bridge into freezing cold water, but an angel saves him.  The angel shows him what it would be like if he were never born.

The town was taken over by a ruthless banker who was out for himself.  His brother died at a young age because George was not there to save him.  His wife became an oldmaid.  The pharmacist he worked for since childhood became a drunk that no one respected because George wasn't there to help him at one point keep him from


putting the wrong formula together that would have killed someone.  There are other stories, but you get the idea.

So, I'm sure you know where this is going.  What would life like have been like if you weren't born?  You would have not been a brother or sister who stood up for them and protected them.  You would not have been a mom or a dad that has children who were a blessing to you and possibly grew up to be a teacher, doctor, pastor or someone who has influenced MANY lives.  Actually, if you weren't born, your kids wouldn't be here.  What about the people you work with or go to church with? Who's life would be dramatically changed if you were never born?

You may not feel like you matter or that who you are or what you do makes a difference in people's lives, BUT IT DOES!  No one is like you!!!  God did not make any duplicates of any of us.  So if you decide you shouldn't be around anymore, you WILL be missed by many many people.  There are people in each of our lives we touch by our words, our smiles, our presence, our hugs, etc.  If you aren't there, what will happen to that person.

You see at the end of the movie, George Bailey realized that his life did matter.  Even though he wasn't rich financially, he lived in a run down house, and he didn't get to travel like he dreamed, he had much more than that.  He had a community and friends who loved him more than he knew.

Each of us are important to many many people!  Stay around please; many people need and love you!

New Year's Resolutions - YUCK

I don't know about you but I don't make New Year's resolutions anymore.  In the past, I would make them and, as so many of us do, 3 weeks to a month in I've quit.  I stopped working out.  I stopped the diet I started.  Whatever the resolution was, it was quickly forgotten in the everyday hustle and bustle of life.  Then came the guilt along with the negative talk i.e. 'Why did you even make a resolution, you know you never go through with it, 'you cannot even follow one thing thru, why did you even try?', etc.

Many of us who struggle with depression or self-worth can beat ourselves up so bad we send ourselves spiraling down before the end of January.  Big goals are really a struggle for me and sometimes the end is too far away.

This is what I'm going to do this year.  No resolutions!!!  Instead, I'm going to write a daily goal, challenge or chore down on my calendar or to-do list.  At the end of the day, WHEN I have completed the the task I will check it off my list.  I like to check things off, it makes me feel good.  Then I can say to myself, 'Yay you completed something you wrote down'.  This encourages me to keep going.  It also inspires me to maybe do something else that is not on my list.

I'm going to break mine down very simple.  Here's some ideas:
* Vacuum living room
* Drink 8 more ounces of water than you usually do
* Write a note to someone
* Pay a bill
* Walk for 30 minutes
* Set up a doctor's appointment you've been needing to go to
* Study for an hour

Try this and see what you think.  May your New Year be full of blessings and completed goals!!!