'It's A Wonderful Life' is a glorious film

Most people have traditions they like to observe during the Christmas season. Each of these traditions is special, and for many, they are reminders of a time in the past that was sweet and memorable.

A tradition that I recently dusted off was watching the film 'It's A Wonderful Life' starring Jimmy Stewart. As my life has unfolded, this movie has become required viewing in late December.

Though this film has become a part of Americana in recent years, it was not always that way. When it was released in 1946, it was something of a box office disappointment. I stumbled across the film by accident back in the 1980s.

It was Christmas Eve, and I was surfing through my television channels. I found the movie and only began watching it because I could not find anything else worth viewing. As I watched, its beauty unfolded in my heart.

In the following years, millions went through the same thrill of discovery I did. For a while, the film was broadcast dozens of times each December though in recent years it is not being shown as much.

For many, the film presents life as we wish it could be. The film follows the story of George Bailey (portrayed by Stewart), and it culminates with his friends rescuing him when all seemed lost. The film is a reminder that no person is a failure who has friends. The fact that its conclusion is set during Christmastime adds all the more to its holiday appeal.

Critics of the film have dismissed it for being too sentimental. Actually, sentimentality is a common thread through many of Frank Capra’s films. Capra directed 'It's A Wonderful Life' as well as other well-known films like 'Mr. Smith Goes To Washington.'

However, sentimentality is not necessarily a bad thing. Given how cynical our world has become, we need to look for it wherever we can. While I agree people can waste time living too much in the past, seeing where we came from can have a big impact on where we are going as a nation.

The sentimentality of the film can oversimplify the way life was generations ago. As an old chemistry teacher I had once said, "The good ol' days weren’t always so good."

And he was right. When this film was made, there were a lot of social issues that divided people. For example, legalized segregation still had a stranglehold on the South. For victims of that policy, I am sure they would argue the past was not as sweet as 'It's A Wonderful Life' portrays.

However, I do not believe that is the point. A movie like this is a reminder of what we are capable of and what we would like to be.

The film reinforces concepts like people working together and loving their neighbor as they love themselves. Simple concepts, but we do not see them flourishing in our communities as we should.

Films, like most forms of media, can have a tremendous impact on society. While people have the free will to make their own decisions, our decision making is easily influenced by what we see and hear.

While a lot of Hollywood's films today are lackluster and lack creativity, movies like 'It's A Wonderful Life' remind us this type of entertainment can be a bully pulpit when shaping mass opinion.

It is too bad that more filmmakers will not take chances and make statements with their films. I understand why they will not because movie making is big business, and if a person's movie flops, they often do not get a second chance.

Still, I would like to see somebody take a chance.

Fun and brain injuries

Like most men my age, I enjoy sports a lot. Every season of the year is identifiable with a sport in my household.

Right now, I watch plenty of football. The college bowl season is about to hit its climax, and the National Football League is chugging toward its playoffs. Life is fun when it comes to this aspect of life.

However, like with most things, a dark cloud of seriousness hovers around these events. While football is exciting, we should not lose sight that it is a tremendously physical sport and leaves some of its participants with health concerns that are long lasting.

We were reminded of this recently when more than 20 former NFL players sued the league claiming it failed to adequately treat them for concussions they suffered while playing. These players claim the concussions have led to severe and permanent brain damage that is linked to the league's lack of action.

The NFL denies the accusations and plans to vigorously defend itself in court. This will likely be a long and drawn out process and will remain in the courts for the next several years.

Since I am neither a doctor nor an attorney, I have no idea how this will all play out in the courts. However, I am sure it will be as hotly contested as any Super Bowl.

As fans, we often lose sight of how dangerous this sport can be. It is physically punishing and from the security of our living rooms, we do not get the full impact of just how painful the contact is on the field.

Hip and knee replacement surgeries are common for many former players. These health problems can be very expensive especially for those who played before players began making big money.

In my lifetime, I can remember when even star players had to have second jobs in the off season. Now, many of these players have hit hard times because of the financial and personal toll their football injuries had on them.

In the coming weeks, there will be much hype as the NFL playoffs unfold, leading up to the Super Bowl in early February. Though there will likely be some debate on this topic, I do not expect it to dominate sports coverage.

This is because the NFL is probably the most effective sports league when it comes to shaping its image and guiding how the media covers it. If someone disputes this, keep an eye on how powerful networks like ESPN report on this issue.

ESPN has access to more resources when covering sports than any other outlet on the planet, but so far it has taken a pretty hands off approach to this issue. Why is this?

We can only speculate, but the network does have a multi-year contract with the NFL worth hundreds of millions of dollars. It may be cynical to suggest the cozy relationship between ESPN and the NFL has caused the network to play nice on this issue, but we do live in a cynical world, don't we?

As fans, we need to show more sensitivity toward the sacrifices players have made and continue to make. It is tough to show sensitivity toward people making millions of dollars, but it is an effort we must make. I agree nobody has forced them to make the career choices they have made, but that should not give us an excuse to be callous.

After all, they are on the field to entertain us. The concussions being received, and the bones being broken are for the benefit of us.

If we look at this so personally, maybe our attitudes will change.

Those commuting blues

As I begin writing this, keep one thought in mind: I am not whining.

We all face situations in our lives that are inconvenient, and when applicable, it is important to share this information with people in the hope that it will benefit them. In that spirit, I share this with you.

Commuting to Nashville can be challenging, and if anybody reading this is considering doing that, I want to share some ideas. I have been commuting from Manchester to Nashville for about 10 years for my job.

When I began doing this, I had no idea it would become a long-term situation, but this is the way it has turned out. With so many people out of work, I am not going to complain about having to drive a long way.

However, commuting is not for everybody, and I hope the following tips will be beneficial if somebody suddenly find themselves in this situation.

The first major point that must be accepted is that people in Nashville simply cannot drive, especially during rush hour. Multiply this fact by a factor of 10 if it is raining.

Once again, I want to emphasize that I am not whining. This is years of experience talking here. On days I wake up and hear it raining, I take a quick shower and get on the road as quickly as possible.

This is because rain adds about 30 to 45 minutes to my drive. As soon as I reach Sam Ridley Parkway in Smyrna, traffic grinds to a halt. We slowly creep our way to Bell Road where traffic mysteriously loosens up. Don't ask me why, but this happens like clockwork.

Also, the traffic reports given on the Nashville radio and television stations are an invaluable help and must be monitored at all times. If there is a wreck on Interstate 24, then I follow the same drill as when it rains. I get out the door as quickly as possible.

On days when it both rains and there are wrecks, the commute comes uncomfortably close to Thunderdome (see the film 'Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome' to know what I am referencing). When this happens, it has already been a bad day, and it is not even 8 a.m. yet.

An aspect of commuting I have never fully understood is how a wreck that happens early can still impact traffic hours after it is cleared. I know studies have been performed that examine this phenomenon, but I just do not get it. If a wreck happens at Old Hickory Boulevard at 7 a.m., a person can bet it will still cause problems later even if the automobiles involved have been cleared.

Also, Wednesday is usually the heaviest day for traffic during morning rush hour. I do not have the numbers to back that up, just years of experience. Mondays and Fridays are lighter because some people take those days off. Summertime is better because the impact of school zones is lessened, plus more people take vacations then.

So, if somebody reading this is considering commuting, take this information to heart. It seems more and more people in Coffee Country are doing this. Urban sprawl is leading more people to live here while working many miles away.

This is a great complement to our community. We live in a nice area that is certainly more affordable compared to the cost of living in Davidson County. The rent for small apartments up there is often as much as mortgage payments here.

In order to live the lives we want to, sometimes we must make sacrifices, and commuting is one many make.

Still do not like those rainy mornings though.