圣诞特辑|生活多美好，你有多重要
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老桑说
你知道吗？
铃铛每响一次就会有一个天使得到翅膀。
不要看轻自己的价值，好好活着，在前方总有一个出口，生活多美好。
这个圣诞节，请把你的善意当作礼物送给他人吧。
你为他人付出的一切，或大或小，总会以一种你不曾料想的方式对这个世界产生着美好的影响。
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「 朋友，你好，我是老桑。 」
△ 美国天普大学校园夜景
01. 如果这个世界没有你
你是否曾想过：如果你没有来到这个世上，这个世界会是什么样子呢？
去年，天普大学发布了一个视频，叫作“Imagine a World Without Temple”（“想象一个没有天普的世界”）。
主要向人们展现了天普大学的30万名校友正在改变世界，没有天普大学的话，世界上就会少了很多创造性的灵感、成功的领导力和瞩目的进步。
这的确是一个向人们展示教育对于世界的重要性的巧妙手段。
但是，此前我从没想过，这个世界如果少了我会是什么样呢？
△ 平安夜的光影
02. 生活多美好
《生活多美好》是有史以来最受欢迎的圣诞主题电影之一。
乔治·贝利在圣诞节前夕情绪十分低落，他的建房贷款合作公司正在濒临破产，养家糊口成为困难，正在面临的法律纠纷更是让他的处境雪上加霜。
当他的妻子和孩子们在装饰圣诞树并准备家庭晚餐时，承受不住生活压力的乔治决定去自杀。
△ 失落的乔治·贝利
在他跳下大桥之前，他在绝望中祈祷着：
“上帝啊…上帝啊…万能的主啊，我并不常祈祷，如果你真在天堂能听到我的祈祷，请给我指引一条出路。我实在是走投无路了。主啊，请你指引我…”
上帝听到了他的祈祷，并派守护天使克莱伦斯·奥博迪拯救他。
△ 守护天使克莱伦斯·奥博迪
乔治抱怨说，没有他，“everybody would be a lot better off” (“大家都会过得好一些”)，并且希望他从来没有来到过这个世界。
乔治的愿望成真了，克莱伦斯把乔治带到了另一个世界——一个乔治从未存在过的世界，一个与乔治毫无瓜葛的世界。
在那里，他得以看到没有他的世界会是什么样子。
△ 乔治来到没有他的世界
乔治和克拉伦斯在同一个平安夜去参观了他们的小镇，但是这里因为缺少了乔治和他所做的一切而得非常不一样了。
乔治很惊讶，没有了他，这个小镇的情况变得很糟。
在现实生活中，乔治的弟弟哈里在九岁时不慎踏破冰层掉入池塘中，正是乔治将他救出来。后来，哈里在战争中击落了一架准备炸毁运输船的神风飞机，挽救了数百人的生命，成为了大英雄。
但是在没有乔治的世界里，哈里在冰冷的湖水中失去了生命，后来在战争中也没有英雄站出来拯救那数百条性命了。
△ 乔治来到没有他的世界
在现实生活中，乔治的建房贷款合作公司帮助了许多家庭度过了经济困难时期，让人们有能力购买自己的房屋，共同创造了一个和谐美好的社区。
但没有乔治，贪婪的银行家们不肯把钱借给普通百姓，而是迫使他们住在价格过高的贫民窟里。最终，这个小镇变成了一个充满酒吧和夜总会的地方。
△ 乔治的一生多有意义
在现实生活中，乔治娶了玛丽，并且生了四个孩子。而在没有乔治的世界里，玛丽没有找到她生命中的真爱，一直单身的她在小镇里做一名普普通通的图书管理员。
看到了没有他的世界是什么样子之后，乔治陷入了沉思。克莱伦斯对他说：“每个人一生中都会影响到很多人。一旦他不存在了就会造成很多空白，你说呢？”
△ 乔治请求回到原来的世界
当乔治看到了他对这个小镇的积极影响后，他came to his senses（脑洞大开），祈求上帝将他带回到原来的世界里，让一切复原。
上帝答应了他的请求，赋予了他回到了原来现实的机会。
怀着对生活的感激之情，他欢乐地在小镇里奔跑着，同时大声地祝福大家 “圣诞快乐”。
当他回家时，心中全是爱和幸福。
△ 乔治回到家中
03. 你是重要的
在这个圣诞节里，我想分享从这部电影中收获的两点思考。
你可以让世界变得更好。
你或许永远都不知道你在他人生命里产生了怎样的影响，但是，你待人接物的方式可以一直保持。
正如克莱伦斯对乔治说：“你只是不知道自己所做到善行。”不知道，并不代表它不存在。
在他生命中的低谷期，乔治不能看到他的所作所为给他人带来的积极影响。
他的善良勇敢拯救了他的哥哥，这也间接地通过他的哥哥挽救了数百人的生命。
他用心经营的建房贷款合作公司为建立一个和谐幸福的社区作出了巨大的贡献，每个人都从中获益。他与玛丽的幸福婚姻也为社区带来了美好。
△ 友谊地久天长
最后，克莱伦斯给乔治留下了一本书，上面写着：“Dear George: Remember no man is a failure who has friends.” （“亲爱的乔治：请记住友谊便是最大的财富。”）
无论何时，你都还有最宝贵的友谊，友谊地久天长。
当你失落的时候，要向好的方向看，而不是过分关注不好的地方。无论你的情况如何，你总是有能力超越自我，改变世界。请相信，所有的付出都值得。
在我的文章《莫被表象所迷惑》中，我提到其实人们很难真正的理解他人的真实处境。相比于盲目地批评和作出判断，尽可能去理解和宽容其实是更好的选择。
在《生活多美好》这部电影中，由于我们能看到不同人物的艰辛，因此我们会对他们产生同情心，比如，我们会因为挣扎于生活的人们无法买房或者放弃梦想而感到痛苦。在现实生活中，通过了解他人所面临的处境，我们可以更好地支持他们。
在帮助别人时，我们自己也会变得更加善解人意。Compassion is contagious （善良会传递），我们对他人付出，同样也是为自己创造一个更好的世界。
△ 克莱伦斯给乔治的礼物
04. 你是如何影响他人的呢
我邀请你看一看《生活多美好》这部电影，并回想那些你曾经或现在正在影响着的人和事。你是如何影响他人的呢？你是否为后人留下了宝贵的财富呢？
以及，再往前一步，你能够为这个世界做出哪些贡献呢？
你可能不知道自己对于周围人产生了什么样的影响，《生活多美好》告诉我们慷慨的态度和积极的生活是最重要的。即使你可能永远也看不到你的劳动成果，但请不要停止耕种。
My friend，这个圣诞节，请把你的善意当作礼物送给他人吧。你为他人付出的一切，或大或小，总会以一种你不曾料想的方式对这个世界产生着美好的影响。
△ 生活多美好
祝大家圣诞节快乐！
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谢谢收看《老桑说》。
给你启发，激励你上进，陪伴你坚持。
敬请期待下一集。
Christmas Edition: You Matter
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「 Hello, my friend,
I’m John Smagula. 」
What would the world be like had you not been born?
Have you ever thought about this question?
Last year, Temple University came out with a video, “Imagine a World Without Temple.” The message was that our 300,000 alumni are changing the world, and without Temple, the world would not have as much inspiration, leadership, and progress. I thought it was a clever way to show how education changes the world.
But, I had never thought, what would the world be like without me?
It’s a Wonderful Life is one of the most popular Christmas Movie of all time. Set on Christmas Eve, George Bailey is in a foul mood. His savings and loan business is failing, he struggles to make ends meet, and he is facing legal problems. As his wife and children are decorating the Christmas tree and preparing the family dinner, he sets off to commit suicide.
Before he jumps off a bridge, in desperation, he prays:
“God … God … dear Father in heaven, I’m not a praying man, but if you’re up there and you can hear me, show me the way. I’m at the end of my rope. Show me the way, God …”
God answers this prayer by sending Clarence Odbody, George’s guardian angel. George bemoans that “everybody would be a lot better off” without him and wishes that he had never been born. George’s wish is granted, and Clarence brings George to an alternate world—a world where George never existed.
He was given the chance to see what the world would be like without him.
George and Clarence then visit the town that very same Christmas Eve, but the town had turned out differently because George didn’t exist, and he never had any influence on the community’s development. Much to George’s surprise, the town became much worse without him.
In real life, George had rescued his nine-year-old brother Harry who fell through the ice on a frozen pond. Harry later went on to be a war hero by shooting down a kamikaze plane that would have bombed an amphibious transport, saving hundreds of lives. But in the world without George, his younger brother drowned that day, and those on the transport who Harry later saved in the war died instead.
In real life, George’s savings and loan business had helped many families through tough times and to buy homes, creating a strong, wholesome community where people looked out for each other. Without George, greedy bankers did not lend to common people and forced them to live in overpriced slums. The town became a seedy outpost filled with bars and night clubs.
In real life, George had married Mary and had four children. In the world without George, Mary was unable to find the love of her life. She stayed single and became the town’s librarian.
As George experienced the world where he never existed, Clarence said to him, “Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?”
When George saw the positive impact he had on the town, he came to his senses and prayed that he be brought back into the world where he existed. He prayed to live again, and with his wish granted, he returned to his original reality. With newfound appreciation, he joyfully ran through the town shouting “Merry Christmas” and went back to his family, heart filled with love.
This Christmas, I reflect on two aspects of this movie.
01.You Matter
You can change the world for the better. When you sow into the lives of others, you may never know the impact. But what you do and how you treat others can last forever. As Clarence said to George, “You just don’t know all that you’ve done.”
In his moment of darkness, George was unable to see the good he had done. His kindness in rescuing his brother set the scene for his brother to save hundreds of lives. His sacrifice in running a small savings and loan company built a strong community where everyone gained. His marriage to Mary created a loving family that supported the community.
In the end, Clarence left a book to George, with the inscription, “Dear George: Remember no man is a failure who has friends.” At the very least, you have the power to be a friend to someone else. Friendship lasts forever.
When you’re down, rather than focus on what’s going wrong, look toward the good. Regardless of your circumstances, you have the power to go beyond yourself and change the world. The rewards will come later.
02.Outward appearances can be wrong
In my blog post on Things Are Not Always What They Seem, I wrote about how you really can’t know everything about the others you deal with. Rather than criticize and judge, it’s often better to get to know others and try to empathize.
In It’s a Wonderful Life, we empathize with the characters by seeing their hardships. We feel the pain of those struggling to support a family, unable to buy a home, or interrupted from fulfilling their dreams. In real life, by understanding the realities others face, we are better positioned to support them.
In helping others, our compassion may also cause us to become less critical of ourselves. Compassion is contagious, and our service to others can also be a service to ourselves.
I invite you to watch It’s a Wonderful Life and reflect on those you have influenced, past and present. How have you sown into others? How have you left a deposit for the next generation?
At the same time, looking forward, how can you make the world a better place?
You may have no idea how you have touched those around you. It’s a Wonderful Life reminds us that the process of generosity and positive living is what matters. You may never get to see the fruits of your labor.
My friend, this Christmas, give the gift of yourself to others. Large or small, your impact will be felt around the world in ways you may never have expected.
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Thank you for watching me to inspire, encourage, and accompany you.
See you next time.
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John Smagula
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