(Originally appeared in Spiral Songs and Grace Notes, December 28, 2011.)
The other day, I was watching Scrooge with my family. You know — the musical with Albert Finney? It’s one of my favorites.
At one point — shortly after the arrival of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, I believe — my twelve-year-old daughter turned to me and said, “The past is all sad and the future is all creepy and scary, but the present is jolly and fun.”
Almost without thinking, I remarked, “Well, maybe that’s because living in the past makes us sad, and living in the future makes us scared. Our best chance for happiness is in the present.”
Then I stopped and thought about what I’d just said.
Yeah.
Unwrapping the present now, to see what treasures it contains…
The other day, I was watching Scrooge with my family. You know — the musical with Albert Finney? It’s one of my favorites.
At one point — shortly after the arrival of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, I believe — my twelve-year-old daughter turned to me and said, “The past is all sad and the future is all creepy and scary, but the present is jolly and fun.”
Almost without thinking, I remarked, “Well, maybe that’s because living in the past makes us sad, and living in the future makes us scared. Our best chance for happiness is in the present.”
Then I stopped and thought about what I’d just said.
Yeah.
Unwrapping the present now, to see what treasures it contains…