A Christmas Carol is a story of redemption. Before Ebenezer Scrooge could get there, though, he needed to recognize the wrongs he had done, a near impossible task for the squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Fortunately, Three Spirits helped bring the regrets to light, ultimately leading him to repentance and a redeemed life.
The Ghost of Christmas Past uncovered regrets Scrooge had buried beneath years of miserly money chasing and spite for others… Complaining to his old boss about spending money for the benefit of employees... Choosing work over his lost love Belle… Resenting young nephew Fred after his sweet sister Fan died during childbirth. The Spirit invokes realization within Scrooge that he could have led a very different life by prioritizing his relationships.
The Ghost of Christmas Present revealed what Scrooge's self-involvement overshadowed around him. He regretted not having a family that cherished one another like the Cratchits. He regretted mocking Christmas festivities with Fred. He witnessed how empty his life was among the surplus population during the most wonderful time of the year.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come opened his eyes to two sobering truths. One, without repentance, no one would miss him—Scrooge's only legacy was the celebration of his demise and the grabbing of material items he left behind. Two, Death would find Tiny Tim.
The recognition of regret forever changed Scrooge’s heart. This past year has been a journey of sorts through regrets here in the hopes of learning a few things. With the turning of the calendar, maybe it’s time to focus on applying these lessons learned, like Scrooge on Christmas Day, to live a more redeemed life. Before doing so, here’s a couple more to close out the year:
Losing Touch with Roger – I had a best friend through elementary, middle and early high school named Roger. We connected in Mrs. Potter’s third grade class over Star Wars, G.I. Joe and comic books. We both liked drawing. The Spences were the nicest family. He was really funny. I still laugh at the time he swore Kenny Rogers was his next-door neighbor, and was so convincing (providing an autographed note his sister forged as evidence) that I seriously considered it even though I’d been to his house many times.
There were countless after-school hangouts and weekend sleepovers, right up through 9th grade. Then, for some reason, things changed. We didn’t have classes together, and barely saw each other in the halls. When we did, we exchanged simple heys or head nods. Maybe like Scrooge, I chose something else over relationship, but I don't recall a falling out. We just stopped hanging out. Teenage interactions are weird sometimes. Like Scrooge, I regret not holding onto that valuable relationship, and eventually losing touch. I wish we could reconcile.
Lesson Learned: Keep in touch with current relationships, reconnect with those from yesteryear. I think I heard decades ago from my mom who ran into Mrs. Spence that he went to FSU and maybe law school, but my Internet sleuthing turned up nothing… While regretful, it inspires me to keep better connected.
Ignoring Spotify Pleas – “Can we get Spotify premium?” my kids asked weekly, all through their middle and early high school years. I staunchly denied the request. Why pay for something when you can pull it up on youtube for free? Or wait for it to come on the radio, standing by with your cassette recorder, so you can capture it and listen multiple times on repeat. Then one holiday season while full of the Christmas spirit, I relented.
Lesson Learned: Spotify premium is awesome! Almost any song, any artist is available. It’s like having a Peaches Records right in your home. And you don’t have to rewind any tapes to listen to a song again or flip albums over. I need to seriously consider the pleas of those around me—they might just benefit me as well. As Scrooge learned, charity does that. Custom playlists too.
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