Selfishness

As I watched "It's a Wonderful Life" for the 100th time, I couldn't help but notice the similarities between me and George Bailey.  Okay, maybe I've never helped finance somebodies house or helped people the way George was able to help people.  Maybe it's an awful comparison.  I'm nowhere near the man George Bailey was, but I'm going to make the comparison anyway.

Let's talk about George.  Here's a man who had big dreams.  He wanted to travel the world.  He wanted to go to school and become an engineer.  He was right at the doorstep of both and yet he gave that all up to be able to lend people a hand.  He was all ready to travel and live his dream, then his father passed away leaving the business for him to take care of.  Sure, he could have stepped down and let Mr. Potter take it over, but it would have been to the detriment of the whole town.  So it left him all alone to care for this institution that meant so much to the town.  He even gives up a high-paying job that would help make a better life for him and his family.  He just wanted so badly to help people.  He was willing to give up his dreams and his comfort for other people. 

Am I being selfish for choosing a path that would seperate me from my family, all to attain some personal freedom and some happiness?  I just want to help people and make people happy.  Should I have just kept my opinions and thoughts to myself to keep me and my family together?  I don't have big dreams like George Bailey had.  I just want to be content.  I couldn't find contentment in the religion.  Was it selfish of me to disappoint friends and family all to try to reach that?  I've always given of myself for others.  I don't feel that I've ever really looked out for my own interest.  As Peter Bailey put it "All you can take with you is that which you've given away."

This is so unfair.  Why am I even forced to make a choice either way?  Sometimes life just really seems screwed up.