I wish to be left alone!
Somehow, we went through the Christmas season and watched 1 Christmas movie. That's it, just one! It The Muppet Christmas Carol , which, I must admit, is still my favorite interpretation of that story. While there are liberties taken from the original, such as making Scrooge partners with the Marley Brothers, rather than just Jacob, they don't disrupt the storyline. The change is simply to allow the use of Statler and Waldorf as Marley, which seems almost what Henson created them for years ago.
However, thinking about Scrooge, I think about his remark the gentlemen that are raising funds for the poor and destitute at Christmas. Scrooge expresses that he wishes “ to be left alone” when asked to help. Audiences and readers have long cringed at his retort, and it exposes his heartlessness.
Yet how often do we respond in this manner in our own hearts? We won't openly scoff that we wish to be left alone, but even the basics of human compassion are often too much effort. Why?
Because, in truth, it's hard. It is so much easier to hunker down into our little protective zones and disconnect.
I know that I have to be more willing to express compassion and build those efforts into meaningful work in the lives of others. Will I be successful? Likely I'll waffle on this, back and forth between being open, too open, too closed, and then back to some balance.
It's worth working on, though...
Doug
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