Week 3 of Advent focuses on joy. We are looking at “It’s a Wonderful Life” along side the story of Joseph of Mary as told in Matthew’s version of the Christmas story. George Bailey learns $8,000 has been misplaced at his company and comes home distraught. At home he meets more irritations as youngest daughter, Zuzu, is upstairs in bed with a fever. George goes upstairs to check. Zuzu is hugging a flower from school and wants to get up and give it a drink. As George tucks Zuzu back in a few petals fall off and Zuzu asks him to paste it back together. He turns, tucks the petals in his pocket, puts the flower in a glass of water and encourages Zuzu that if she rests and dreams about her flower, it will become a garden of flowers. Zuzu replies, “It will?!” George gives Mary a vision so that doing what she does not want to do, is appealing.
Biblical Joseph takes Mary into his home as his wife. Now it is not written in scripture the conversations between Joseph and Mary but I’m sure he must have encouraged her saying something like, “We can do this!” And ala the movie “Nativity,” when the decree comes for the census, Mary refuses to be left behind and must have affirmed, “I’m going with you.” “We can do this!”
Helping another have a vision of the possible in their life is a great gift and brings joy. It is so easy to be critical and think of all the reasons something is not possible. Seeing the potential and the possible, giving another a vision of their better self brings joy. May we be people who can see that a dream of a beloved flower can be the seed for a whole garden! Blessings.
On the Way to Wonder 