It’s an unforgettable moment from Frank Capra’s movie It’s a Wonderful Life. George Bailey is running through the streets of Bedford Falls shouting “Merry Christmas!” to people, buildings, and anything else within range of his rediscovered love for life.

As I grow older, I find myself drawn more and more not to George, but to Clarence, the angel who, at first glance, just can’t seem to do anything right. But by the end of the movie, Clarence figures out how to get George Bailey to recognize just how wonderful his life is.

It’s fascinating that Bailey’s transformation began when he was despondent and thoroughly beaten down, teetering on the edge of taking his life. But even in this state, when Bailey saw Clarence leap into the icy river water, he jumped in and came to his rescue. That act set in motion a chain of events that awakened Bailey to the blessings that surrounded him.

Just as George Bailey failed to see Clarence as an angel, I suspect we too are surrounded by uncommon angels during the holiday season. Some are easy to spot. Those folks who take the time to volunteer as Salvation Army bell-ringers are a great example. People who give of themselves to provide food and clothing for the homeless, toys for children, and care packages for our troops are also prominent.

But perhaps there are angels like Clarence out there—characters who appear to be anything but heavenly on the surface. Maybe those angels exist in the mundane moments of life, standing alongside us in a terminally-long checkout line as our irritation level rises. It’s also possible that “Clarence” may be standing beside a broken-down car with emergency lights flashing.

These folks could be angels in need of personal rescue. They don’t need change dropped into a bucket or a check mailed from a distance. What they need is personal—for us to let them slip ahead in the checkout line or to lend a hand in changing a flat tire. Perhaps all they need is a kind word. It’s written in a holy book somewhere that on occasion we’ve entertained angels and never even known it.

May this holiday season be one in which we offer aid to the Clarences we find in our paths, whether we think they’re angelic or not.

Until next time...

Kevin Ogle, a native Oklahoman, is a news anchor on Oklahoma’s NewsChannel 4. He and his wife have two teenage daughters.