Do you remember A Christmas Carol?
It was a novel by Charles Dickens published in London in 1843. Somehow, all these years later, it’s still having impact. We see the story everywhere this time of year.
It has such an important message that seems to be forgotten year after year.
Here’s the excerpt that I’m talking about, specifically.
Each year, I am reminded of my important human purpose and each year, I get another revolution around the sun (another chance) to live up to it.
“But you were always a good man of business, Jacob,” faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself.
“Business!” cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. “Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”
It held up its chain at arms length, as if that were the cause of all its unavailing grief, and flung it heavily upon the ground again.
“At this time of the rolling year,” the spectre said “I suffer most. Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never reaise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode! Were there no poor homes to which its light would have conducted me!”
-Jacob Marley, Stave 1 - Marley’s Ghost - “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens
This year was a lot to handle.
Let’s heed this grave reminder and make the changes we need to make to improve our impact this year.
I’ll be right here to help.