The Spirits of Christmas

Every year about this time I get one of those middle-of-the-night visits by the 3 spirits - the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. Just like in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. And invariably the scenes from the past are warm and wonderful. The Christmas present spirit shows me things around me that I take for granted, and then I get to see all the people who are suffering this time of year. Humbling is not even close to describe what that feels like.

Then the worst. The spirit of Christmas yet to come. Not a pretty picture.

What if people are not helped? Why isn't someone helping these people? Why are you showing me this unless there is something I can do about it?

At the end of the visitation, Scrooge (me, you, all of us) says to the spirit "Assure me that I yet may change these shadows you have shown me, by an altered life!"

There is hope for all of us yet.