Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, “My dear Scrooge, how are you. When will you come to see me.” No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o’clock, no man or woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge. Even the blindmen’s dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; and then would wag their tails as though they said, “No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master! ”

But what did Scrooge care! It was the very thing he liked. To edge his way along the crowded paths of life, warning all human sympathy to keep its distance,

“A Christmas Carol,” by Charles Dickens

Few authors can depict misery and capital sins like Charles Dickens.  His stories tap the readers’ soul and bring to the surface our deepest emotions. In Christmas Carol, the author puts a sinner’s face to the scourge of today’s society: greed.   The author writes, “No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o’clock, no man or woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge.” Do you ever wonder why a beggar skips you or does not approach you? Perhaps, we should look ourselves in the mirror.  Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. We can search in our dreams and experience the empathy for our fellow man. You may recall some scenes of generosity.   We all had this virtue before.  It was there and we lost it. Over the years, we have been bombarded with messages of self-reward.  Perhaps, beggars do us a favor when they look us in the eyes. Perhaps, they make us feel better when we reach for our wallet.  Perhaps, those are the best-spent dollars. Everything has a price.

Happy Holidays, my friends!!