Each year during the Christmas season, many of us enjoy reading or watching the classic tale of “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. While the story teaches us about the importance of generosity and not being stingy, there are deeper lessons to be learned. In my opinion, empathy is the central theme of this powerful parable.
On Christmas Eve, the ghost of Jacob Marley, Scrooge’s former business partner, visits him to warn him about the arrival of three spirits. Scrooge is curious about the heavy chains Marley wears and asks him about them. Marley explains that he is doomed to walk the earth, unable to help those in need and forced to witness their suffering. Scrooge is confused by this injustice and comments, “You were always a good man of business, Jacob.”
“Business!” cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. “Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were all my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”
“Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down and never raise them . . . ?”
What follows is a powerful transformation as Ebenezer Scrooge begins to see into people’s lives and hearts.
As Scrooge returned to scenes from his past, he could remember the emotions he had long suppressed. He saw himself as a boy, sad and alone. When he revisited a Christmas with his old friends and co-workers, he remembered the joy he once felt, which began to soften his heart. And when he reflected on the parting scene with his former fiancé and saw what his life could have been, he felt a mix of love, regret, and longing. By tuning into these emotions, Scrooge could see the present and future with empathic eyes.
Witnessing the death of Tiny Tim, he grieved alongside his family. He wept with shame and regret upon realizing the apathy with which others viewed his own death, realizing that their response reflected the indifference he had shown others.
This newfound empathy transformed Scrooge’s character, behavior, and desire for connection. That is the timeless message of “A Christmas Carol:” connection and empathy.
This Holiday season, regardless of whether or not you celebrate Christmas, let us all “lift our eyes” and notice the people around us. Let us learn from Scrooge’s transformation and be more empathetic and compassionate towards each other. Spread love and kindness, as this is the true essence of the holiday season.
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