Blogging From A to Z - D is for Dad, Dreams, Dance

Welcome to the It's A Wonderful Blog's Blogging From A to Z April (2015) Challenge. For this challenge, I will post every day in April (except for Sundays) about topics related to the Frank Capra/Jimmy Stewart film, It's a Wonderful Life.

Dad:
Dads rock. They can fix anything...even flowers. They know the answers to life's most difficult questions. They listen rationally to your crazy ideas, and sometimes even agree with them. At least mine does.

Dreams:

Source: http://bedfordfallssentinel.blogspot.com/2012/02/
travel-like-george-bailey-or-at-least.html

Everybody has dreams. We fight for them, we plan for them. We yearn for them. We...DREAM about them.

George Bailey had dreams. They involved anchor chains, plane motors and train whistles. They involved Venezuelan oil fields and working across on a cattle boat. None of those dreams happened.

In time, George came to realize that you don't have to leave Bedford Falls to find adventure.

Dance:
Oyes Oyes Oyes! It was the Charleston contest that allowed George and Mary to reconnect. We hadn't seen Mary since she was a little girl, professing her love for George over the soda shop counter. As adults and high school graduates, if they want to chat, they have to dance together.

Both Mary and George admitted that they couldn't dance. Yet they still gave it the ole' college try and got jiggy with it. And somehow, they managed to win the competition.

The question is, why did they win? Were they better than they thought? Or did they win because they were oblivious to the world around them, which caused them to take an unplanned swim and inspired an entire gym full of teens and adults to jump in the drink, as well?

What do you think?

How cool is your dad? Tell us about him.

What is your dream?

Did they really win, or did they win because they were good sports?

Blogging From A to Z - C is for Children, Challenge, Contentment

Welcome to the It's A Wonderful Blog's Blogging From A to Z April (2015) Challenge. For this challenge, I will post every day in April (except for Sundays) about topics related to the Frank Capra/Jimmy Stewart film, It's a Wonderful Life.

Children:

Source: http://www.classicmoviehub.com/blog/
happy-fathers-day-a-celebration-of-classic-movie-fathers/

They inspire us, love us, challenge us, make us realize that we are worse at math today than we were 20 years ago. They make us realize we are getting old and turning into our parents.

But the unconditional love they give is amazing. Seeing their compassion and their excitement for life fills my bucket. They are our opportunities to teach them to avoid our mistakes while never, ever, ever admitting those mistakes. We always know "a friend" who has been in any given situation. ;)

Most days you want to die for your children. Some days you understand why some species eat their young. In It's a Wonderful Life, George asks Mary, "Why do we have to have all of these kids?" It takes a trip to Pottersville to remember that they are worth fighting for, no matter the cost, and no matter the...

Challenges:
Life is one challenge after another. Sometimes there are breakthroughs and times of success. But those successes don't come without a fight.

James 1:2-4 says, "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow."

Without trouble, we don't grow. Without growth, we don't change. Without change, we would still be the same people we were when we were born. To quote my friend and the creator of the Evolution of Dance, Judson Laipply, "life is change."

To quote Ferris Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

In It's a Wonderful Life, George faced many challenges during his life, from not getting to travel or go to college, to being forced to stay at home running the Building and Loan while his brother and friends went to college and travelled the world. Those challenges were intended to show him the importance of...

Contentment:
The grass is not always greener. If it is, perhaps it is because it is fertilized with b.s.

While we shouldn't give up on our dreams, we all need to learn to be content with where we are at today. We must appreciate what we are provided and be grateful when opportunities arise. By all means, follow your dreams! But don't grouse around when you fail, looking for someone to blame or giving up on life.

George Bailey tried that. It earned him a trip to Pottersville and a shocking look at what would have happened if he hadn't been there. We matter. Worrying does not fix problems.

To quote Bobby McFerrin, "Don't worry, be happy."