Merry Christmas to all!
Thank you so much for all of those who take the time to read my blog and are part of my life I truly do Love you all. I know this year has been particularly difficult with COVID, politics and the incredible times we are facing.
This year I have tried to be incredibly real with all of you concerning my thoughts, feelings and what is going on in my world as like any human I work to grow. For many who read my blogs you may or may not believe in my positions whether its in politics, my thoughts on societal changes taking place or just in general, but I try to be genuine and true to all.
Over time my views do and will change because I am constantly looking to change in a good way, something I encourage all of us to try to do. All to often people get stuck in one position in life and stay there unwilling to grow. I am not staying change or principles or values but we should all try to have an option mind and the acceptance of other thoughts and opinions something I think in today’s society we greatly lack.
During this time of year its especially important to look at what is important, having watched Charles Dickens a Christmas Carol, a story that all too often we all take for granted as just being a film or book we can watch or read at Christmas, but the message can be appreciate all days in our life. We truly live in a time of greed and oppression of people, some of you out there may feel like there is no such thing in society and I would ask you to look deeper in those who are suffering today.
Ebenezer Scrooge a man of business who started out in a life of solitude and loneliness never truly felt loved hence the reason I think he rejected Love and stuck to the cold hard world of money and prestige. The story is so important to look at what happens when it set aside people in our life and focus on wealth instead of what is important. I get that we all need to live a life, we all need to eat, we all need to survive and most all want to prosper in life, but its tough.
Not everyone is born with a silver spoon in their mouth, many have to slowly work their way in life to create a life. Some in this life have incredible fortune in their life, lots of money, big house, nice care, supportive family and support system to make sure they succeed. While others struggle to make it, pinching pennies with little or no support system alone in this dark cold world failing to succeed in a world that says you are not good enough unless you have this or do this, I have lived this life. Yes I have my wife and daughter, my sister, father, brother in law who support me, but deep within side me I ask for more.
Back to Scrooge, a man who was in the perfect position to live a comfortable life in his wealth and not worry about where his next meal would come from or where he would live. While others were truly suffering like today. Interesting how Scrooge mentioned workhouses and prisons which he fully supported. Obliviously we know what prisons are , but workhouses or poor houses existed which where placed that supported those who could not survive on their own. Imagine if you will these were the places people went to work, not that there was anything wrong with that, but these were considered dismal horrible places eventually turning to place to care for the elderly and resembling almost a prison environment, but again maybe it could be better then being homeless. Remembering when Scrooge was approached for a donation telling those :
“At this festive season of the year, Mr Scrooge, … it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.”
“Are there no prisons?”
“Plenty of prisons…”
“And the Union workhouses.” demanded Scrooge. “Are they still in operation?”
“Both very busy, sir…”
“Those who are badly off must go there.”
“Many can’t go there; and many would rather die.”
“If they would rather die,” said Scrooge, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”
The coldness in his voice, the heartlessness so reminiscent of today and the coldness in people today. I will say that I know that’s Not everyone, many do care for sick and unfortunate like the homeless but there is very little help compared to the size of our societies today, we need more. It’s so oblivious when you’ve made it life why should you have to give back, thinking only what how no one helped you succeed but in reality, you were helped, GOD provided for you, giving you the mind and body, you have to today along with the gifts in your life something many forget. But again, Scrooge eventually say that through the three ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
I love that Dickens focused on this in his book because its something we should all see in hopes of redeeming ourselves and our souls to be better. Now you may think well I am good person and maybe you are but you can always be better.
Scrooge was redeemed by seeing his life from his past, but the biggest impacts were the present and future being able to see his impact on Bob Crachit , his family and Tiny Tim forgetting the impact people make in those lives we touch whether we think so or not. Ultimately Scrooge was even able to see his own death in a way and those people who truly despised and hated him, something again we should all see because many live-in illusions we are well loved, and we are not.
The ending is by far the best part of this incredible story as Scrooge corrects his ways immediately. He doesn’t say well maybe I will fix me tomorrow, no he said I will fix myself NOW and he did. First order of business being more giving and treating those in his life as he should have always treated them with love and respect even paying them fairly. Being a miser and pay all too often people accept a modern day miser and feel well I deserve this and we do not, we accept misers and shouldn’t.
Scrooge I believe once had a large heart especially when he worked for Fezziwig, he seemed so happy and cheerful even having love in his life but along the way went astray. Something that happens to all of us, going astray, darker, cold and heartless until we wake up but look what it took for Scrooge to wake up, what will it take for you and I to wake up to be kinder, softer and more loving.
Scrooge continues to be watched in my home every year and different versions, but my favorite by far is the 1954 version with Alastair Sims what a perfect Scrooge, but I am also partial to Reginald Owens and Michael Caine in Muppets Christmas Carol. I know this season we tend to stay indoors a lot even more so today watching our favorite classics, all seem to have message of the hardships of holidays, but ultimately coming to almost the same conclusion to be kinder, love more, look to what is important in life so why can’t people just do it. People make the choice not to because frankly people love living in the dark, being mean, cold towards others feeling there is no reward to being kind, but there is a reward our soul is rewarded.
So make Christmas 2020 a time to remember what is important, LOVE, KINDNESS and Peace on Earth each of us have the ability to do these things if we just try making the world less hateful, bitter. Ultimately, I will say this the reason for season as always is to remember Jesus was born to die on this day and his birth is the reason for the season, a ultimate sacrifice to all of us, but the ultimate love for all of us, so lets try to love more like Christ. Regardless if you don’t believe in CHRIST, we can all be much kinder to each other.
Peace to all in this time and Merry Christmas!
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
Luke 2:11
Joseph’s Adventures in Writing 