Chains and Scrooge

Well, I must say I've been very busy the last few weeks with performances! However, last night was the last one for the season and now I can get back to a little more contemplation and writing. I've been trying to find something for my students next week that has something to do with Christmas since it will be the time for a "light lesson". Past years we've read "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" or J.R.R. Tokein's letters that he wrote to his kids, etc...

This year I thought I'd take a look at "A Christmas Carol" again. Something that I've not done for a long, long time. I forgot how much fun it is to read Dickens and how much humanity and understanding of the human heart he has. In fact, I think everyone can remember when the ghost of Marley comes to visit Scrooge and what Dickens says is a pure teaching of Karma, which is good to remember at this time of year! Here it is:

"I wear the chain I forged in life," replied the Ghost. "I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it. Is its pattern strange to you?"
Scrooge trembled more and more.
"Or would you know," pursued the Ghost, "the weight and length of the strong coil you bear yourself? It was full as heavy and as long as this, seven Christmas Eves ago. You have laboured on it, since. It is a ponderous chain!"
Scrooge glance about him on the floor, in expectation of finding himself surrounded by some fifty or sixty fathoms of iron cable; but he could see nothing.

A good reminder to listen to the "Ghosts" who try to show us the way out of our chains!