A Christmas Carol

For those of you who are illiterate, didn't have a complete childhood (Muppet's Christmas Carol), or are just plain stupid, Ebenezer Scrooge was visited by three ghosts: past, present, and future. As my memory serves me, the Ghost of Christmas Past showed him times he had been hurt and when he started turning into the selfish prick he then became, which the Ghost of Christmas Present illuminated. But it wasn't until the Ghost of Christmas Future when Scrooge saw that he was destined for a lifetime of misery before eventual death that made him change his lifestyle and stop being so mean to poor Bob Cratchett. So this got me thinking (or rather thinking about the following made me think of Ebenezer)... don't we all live in the past, present, and future?

Ebenezer was most affected by the future, which looked the bleakest for him. I find myself straying towards the past. It's such a pointless thought, too. I mean, it's "healthy" to live in the present with a watchful eye on the future, right? The past is the past. It's finished and done with. But even when I was in second grade watching the Muppets portray Charles Dickens' novel, the Ghost of Christmas Past always affected me the most. Watching Ebenezer get his heart ripped out of his chest by some girl made me feel bad for the guy and I vaguely remember thinking his actions were justified even.

The point is, whatever tense you focus on, it's probably good to just do what we've always been taught: learn from the past, live in the present, focus on the future. The past is the past. It cannot be changed no matter what. The present is a constant that everyone needs in their life, so take a look around. Evaluate your life. What do you think? And look to the future. Ebenezer didn't like what he saw, but I like what I see in mine which gives me comfort. So whether it's the past, present, or future that haunts you, accept what can't be changed and do what you can to be happy in the future.

The future can always be changed with present changes that occurred because of the past.