A Book of Prayers: To the Heavens from the Stars

"Dear Father, 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, oh God."  - George Bailey (as played by Jimmy Stewart) in It's a Wonderful Life.

                               Karolyn Grimes - Actress

     "Frankly Scarlett, I don't give a damn."  Most film buffs immediately can associate this movie line with Clark Gable in the classic movie, Gone With the Wind.  But few people can identify the actress credited with the following lines from an equally famous movie It's a Wonderful Life: "Each time a bell rings, an angel get his wings!"  Those lines were spoken in 1946 by a little six year old actress, Karolyn Grimes, who was playing the part of Zuzu in the film.
    Up to the point when Karolyn played that part in the movie she herself had lived a wonderful life.  To that point in her young life she had been in four films and would ultimately end up with roles in sixteen movies featuring the likes of movie greats John Wayne, Betty Grable, Cary Grant, Bing Crosby, and Loretta Young.
    However, Karolyn, unlike Shirley Temple to whom she was sometimes compared, would have her movie career cut short by tragedy.  Karolyn's mother died of early-onset Alzheimer's and her father was killed in a car crash.  Subsequently Karolyn, an only child, was sent by the courts to live with a family in Osceola, Missouri, far from the lights of Hollywood.
    Her first marriage ended in divorce.  Her ex-husband was killed two years later in a hunting accident.  Her second husband died of lung cancer.  The youngest child of her blended family of seven children committed suicide.  Still thinking you're having a bad day?
    I contacted Karolyn and asked her if she knew the origins of the name Zuzu, the famous character she played who recited those memorable lines in that epic Christmas tale.  Little did I know what a wonderful anecdotal response I would receive from Karolyn:
    "The original story of IAWL came from a Christmas card written by Philip Van Dorenstern.  Eventually it became a book titled The Greatest Gift.  When Frank Capra got this project, he got some other screenwriters involved and had them write screen adaptations.  One of the people he used was a man named Clifford Odette.  He is the man who came up with the name.  Capra ended up using the three different scripts along with his own ideas to come up with his final version.
    Around the early 1900's, there was a product called Zuzu's Ginger Snaps made by the National Biscuit Company.  Today that company is Nabisco.  It featured a little clown called Zuzu on all its advertising.  George Bailey comes home after he finds that he is alive again and he runs upstairs to see his children.  I run out the door and he exclaims 'Zuzu, my little Gingersnap'!"
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     Karolyn sent a beautiful response that explained the reason she selected the 23rd Psalm as her favorite prayer.  Obviously, Karolyn is looking beyond a wonderful life to a wonderful eternity.  "The prayer that has sustained me throughout the years of my life is simply the 23rd Psalm.  I first heard the prayer when Cary Grant recited it to me during the movie The Bishop's Wife.  It has become my mantra since those early days of my life.  He talked about the meaning of the verse and little did I know the adversity that I would face throughout my life and still do.  'The Lord is my sheperd I shall not want' has encouraged me to ask for help when needed and to give thanks when needed as well.  He guides me through 'still waters' and when crisis hits he guides me through 'the valley of death'.  He gives me strength to fear no evil and gives me the promise of a wonderful eternity."

                            The 23rd Psalm
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil; for you are with me.
Your rod and your staff  they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.
You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.