Wrestling with our past. Something most of us have to address at times in our life. Scrooge literally ends the visitation with the Ghost of Christmas Past wrestling with what he thinks is the spirit. Your assignment last week was to think about the journey so far in its entirety. Were you able to connect issues from your past, things you did and did not do, what your current life situation is and isn’t, and where you want to go? Do things line up better and make more sense now when you view them in a larger, more comprehensive perspective? Do you understand how you got here? Do you understand why you feel and think some of the things you do or are at least more aware of these thoughts, now? A problem well defined is half solved. After taking the time to go back and think through the exercises up to now, are you able to find that you are more future focused, more motivated, more interested in becoming your best? If not, there are two more spirits coming to help move you forward. You can always go back and try again to put some of the past behind you, come to peace and look forward. If you see yourself having moved forward, then congratulations. You are one step closer to becoming Scrooge and becoming your best you.
This Week’s Talk
As we start Stave III of the book, or transition into the section of the movie with the Ghost of Christmas Present, Scrooge is waking up struggling with understanding what had just happened. The travels and sights with the Ghost of Christmas Past is over, Scrooge reflects on the visitation from Marley, and anxiously awaits the arrival of the next Spirit as foretold by Marley. Scrooge is alarmed by a blazing light emanating from the adjoining room. In the book, and every version of the movie I can think of, the Ghost of Christmas Present is physically the largest Spirit. The room is filled to overflowing with food of all kinds. The Ghost of Christmas Present is dressed in a luxurious green robe trimmed in white fur. The spirit holds a light in the shape of a horn of plenty.
Let’s stop and reflect on all that the Ghost of Christmas Present brings forth. Was this just a coincidence that the Ghost of Christmas Present is the largest, the brightest, the richest, and bearing a horn of plenty? I don’t think there are any significant coincidences in a Dickens work. Dicken’s was well to honed in his craft for there not to be a message there. I must confess, it wasn’t until I sat down to write this week’s episode that I got this deep into it. Some of this occurred to me, given that I have read the book 20-30 times and watched different versions of the movie over 100 times but I didn’t get this deep. Reflecting on this scene, I now believe that the message Dickens is sending us is that the real wealth, power, luxury and riches are now. A bit if a painful thought for me since I spend a lot of the now thinking about who great tomorrow can be. I have swallowed the pill of delayed gratification so many times that I have severely depleted my ability to take in the joys the present brings. I have no problems in the now being able to reflect on the moment, to take in the scene, smell the air, enjoy the scenery, and appreciate that the time may be special. I pull up short when it comes to a real commitment. Spend money on a vacation or save for a rainy day? As a car guy you would think I have something special stashed in the garage. Wrong. No cool ride waiting for me to take out. Again and again, I chose tomorrow. I fell for the whole protestant work ethic early to bed early to wise…. Do today what others won’t so you can do tomorrow what others can’t. Do that often enough and you start to miss out on the joy all around us in the present. How about you? What’s your balance like? Are you able to enjoy the now but still able to save for a rainy day? Able to chose delayed gratification to have a better tomorrow?
This Week’s Assignment
“Come in” exclaimed the Ghost. “come in! and know me better, man.”… a few lines later we read “I am the Ghost of Christmas present”, said the Spirit. “Look upon me!” I think for me, this is going to be the best exercise yet. Use this week to hear your inner voice and take notes on what it is telling you. Be sensitive to how present you are, and work on finding something to be joyful about every day. Write out a list of the riches that are available to your right now. What skills, talents, abilities and knowledge do you have, now? What resources do you have access to such as supplies, people, time, space, assets?
See you next week.