It's A Wonderful Life on CNN

It is just past midnight on December 22. My shift is just about over.

I was just in the DFAC. The pancake guy now notices when i come in for midnight breakfast and always puts me on two pancakes before I can even ask him to. It makes him smile to know he knows me. What a great thing a fresly cooked pancake is...

Here in the Media Operations Center we are dealing with the developing events in Iraq and the media who hunger for details and statements. As always we are surrounded with monitors that are showing the reporting of the networks from around the world. CNN is reporting on the escelation of the war in Afghanistan while BBC is reporting on the Iraqi parliament voting to allow the United Kingdom to remain in Iraq.

Because it is almost Chrismas, we have devoted one of the screens, (the biggest one) to watch Frank Capra's 'It's a Wonderful Life'. What would Christmas be without this film. Was there Christmas before George Bailey challenged the 'richest and meanest man in the county'?

It is a stark comparison - rockets in the Gaza strip on one screen while George and Mary sing 'Buffalo Gals' on the other. Bert and Ernie are serenading the newlyweds in the rain is in direct juxtaposition to Sky News reporting on an Iraqi man giving the 'kiss of death' by walking up to a checkpoint, hugging a guard and setting off his suicide vest.

As a child I always hoped that when Potter was defeated at the end of the film by the community coming together, that the world was rid of evil. I guess this is just childish optimism. But that is the offer of the film - the optimism that we can live a 'wonderful life'.

I wonder which is the best moment in the film? As a teenager I always thought it was when George and Mary walked down the street before they fell in love and he made the offer to 'lasso the moon'. Now if every guy could come up with a line like that...

A little later in life I enjoyed the moment when George was planning his great voyage to see the world. Optimism, hope, adventure, these are the things that make life worth living. Do you have a suit case this big?

Even later in life I realized the challenges George faced, everything comes crashing down and it seems the whole world has turned against you, even those you trust the most. How do you redeem yourself? Hope once again prevails.

Which leads me to my favorite moment...When George finds Zu Zu's petals in his pocket. What a moment. That is really the moment that life is all about. When everything is lost but you don't care because you have those who love you. Who needs anything more?

Excuse me, this essay is interrupted by a phone call wanting to know about a developing incident in the Middle East.

CNN reports: Coalition forces have found 2.2 tons of marijuana in a local high school school. What statement would you like to make. "This is an attack on the future of all of Afghanistan", U.S. military spokesman. What else can you say. What hope is there for a country that has nothing? But then, how different are they truly from our nation?

Sadly, now the movie is over. Everyone has come to George and Mary's house. The deeds of a lifetime have paid off in this single moment. The world is a wonderful place.

These are such different worlds - the world of the 1940's and 2008.

It is just days before Christmas and given the choice I would make every screen in the room have a classic Christmas film playing. Not the modern ones, they are too ugly. It has to be a classic: 'White Christmas' or maybe 'Holiday Inn'. Unfortunately, our classic Christmas movie viewing time is over and we must return to the interrupted broadcast of Al-Jazeera.

I wonder what visions of hope they will broadcast tonight?

Merry Christmas!