George or Clarence?

As we approach the holiday movie season, oh hell, what am I saying, I watch Christmas movies year 'round, anyway I started thinking recently that I had to be one of these two characters from Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life". Not sure exactly how I came to that conclusion, but I have been sidetracked lately wondering about it. For those of you that don't remember (or heaven forbid have never seen it - go download it today on iTunes, or better yet - watch it free on Google Video!), Clarence is the angel sent to Bedford Falls to save George Bailey when he jumps off the bridge and hopes to get his wings by his actions.

So back to my question --

Am I George? Someone that seemingly has everything - friends, family, respect, integrity, love and admiration, but then runs into some trouble brought on by external circumstances, but trouble that he accepts full responsibility for and thereby spirals downward out of control until he ends up on the bridge facing the icy water below and pondering the thought that the world would have been better if he never existed.

Or am I Clarence? Someone that knows he has a special purpose, but that purpose has eluded him time and again until he is not sure he will ever fully realize what he is put on earth for. Even when he gets the chance to help someone that really needs him but does not know it, he still stumbles along unsure that he's really going to change George's life. The genius of his character is his impulse to jump off the bridge first thereby forcing George to save him instead of throwing his own life away.

I know there are other characters in the film, but I never related so well to anyone else. I take that back - maybe Zuzu - the little kid that got sick and only had to rest at home waiting for her daddy to discover the flower petals hidden in his vest pocket then he'd come running back to hug her after knocking that damn stairway banister off its post again. No other worries, nothing but the smells and sounds of Christmas going on in the rest of the house. Well, that's all a bit too distant and since I know I'm not a "Potter" or even the lovable Bert the cop or Ernie the cabbie, that brings me back to my original question.

So which one am I - George or Clarence?

Either way, I'm going in the water...