Scrooge

I love the movie, "A Christmas Carol." My daughter watched it with me recently and she was a little confused with the whole, ghost from the past, present and future thing, but she understood the sentiment the movie teaches. I have seen just about every version ever made and the timelessness of the tale is inspiring. We have all come across Scrooges in our lives and perhaps, even in our darkest moments, we have all acted a bit like Scrooge. He is bitter, angry, jaded by life and completely closed off. He had a rough childhood, jilted the girl for greed and lost connection with himself and humanity. He pushes everyone away and is imprisoned by his pain. His darkness causes him to lack compassion and laugh in the face of generosity and kindness. He lives in his head and without a heart connection, he is cold, detached, and just plain mean. I know a few people who might match that description. I would say that Scrooge could use a little therapy. Then the spirits of the night take him by surprise and give him the quickest version of psychotherapy possible. I wish it was so easy and just one night of visions about the past, present and future would completely do the trick! I'd be out of a job, but who cares. If we could transform bitter people into compassionate, loving human beings over night, I would be fine with switching professions. I guess in some ways I am the ghost of the past, present and future, rolled into one. I guide people to reflect on how the past affected them. In the present, I urge them to analyze how to improve current relationships and be more aware of the moment. I also help people shift gears and bring illumination into their lives, which consequently, improves their futures and what they attract. So, if the overnight vision thing became the new therapeutic technique, I could just sign on to be one of the ghosts, working while I sleep. Scrooge is so clearly jolted back into his heart, with all of the emotions he is forced to feel. He transforms back into the man he was always meant to be. Those ghosts are pretty powerful and what great lessons for every one of us, which is why the movie still touches people's hearts year after year. The spirit of the past is about reflection, regret and awareness. It is so important to just become aware of who we are and how we got here. In the story, one visit to the past does the job, but the idea is for just enough reflection to learn the lesson and move on. Reflect back to something in your past you wish you could change. Recognize how that pain might be hindering you today or getting in the way of you moving forward. You cannot change the past, but honoring that you would if you could, acknowledges the truth beneath the defenses. Scrooge looks back and is horrified by what he sees. With new eyes, his realization is that he had been so fear driven and guarded and that he lost everything that he ever loved. When he views the present, he is equally horrified, because his selfishness had blinded him to the people in need all around him. His bitterness blocked him from really seeing the loving souls, trying to get his attention. He had become bitter and jaded and only saw people at selfish, because in actuality, he was selfish. He couldn't see people for who they really are because he could not get past his projection of himself. Compassion and feelings flood him when the blinders are taken off and he begins to see beyond his pain. That is when compassion fills his heart. The future terrifies Scrooge, because he is shown that what you put out there truly comes back to you. If you are not feeling and expressing kindness, love, compassion and joy to the world around you, then eventually you get nothing back, because nothing is what you have been offering. That old saying, do unto others as you would have them unto you, could not be more true. I always cry at the moment he wakes up on Christmas morning a changed man, full of life and hope. The message is so beautiful to all watching, that it is not too late and everyone has the opportunity for a second chance. Scrooge embraces the moment and mankind becomes his mission. He discovers instantly how gratifying it is to be kind and giving. It is an amazing story of redemption. I suppose that is why, no matter how many times we see or read the story, the impact is always profound. Let's learn from the tale of Scrooge. Live in the moment, offer love and kindness to everyone around you and know that change is always possible. I joked about it being a little exaggerated that change could happen overnight as Scrooge does in the tale, but actually, it only take one moment to decide to change course and live life differently. People make things seem impossible or difficult in their minds rather than just leaping with faith and changing course now. "Bah Humbug," Scrooge use to say...what excuses are you making or are you living proof that living life with an open heart is possible?