In a Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens), Scrooge is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve.  Scrooge sees more and more of the reality from which he has turned away.  He sees the reality of his past, how the choices he made steadily whittled away his compassion and increased his self-centeredness.  He sees the reality of his likely future, the future that will occur if he continues in his present ways.  But then he wakes up.  He realizes that he is not the captive of these realities.  He realizes that he has a choice.  He chooses to change.

Dickens says that life always avails the option of seeing the truth, no matter how blind or prejudiced we may be.  And if we have the courage to respond to that option, we have the power to change ourselves profoundly.  Scrooge couldn’t make the choice to change before he became aware of his current reality.

Only through truth do we come to grace (Peter Senge.  The Fifth Discipline)

Wishing you peace and well being as you face your current reality.

PS: Remember to hold the one’s you love just a little closer and tighter this week.