The Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol is a holiday favorite of mine, as I know it is for many of you. But what does A Christmas Carol have to do with you or your quest for health?
Let's redefine your quest for health as actually a quest for "quality living." Quality living is sculpted from the decisions we make daily, not only about physical health, but also our relationships with others. It is decisions that make character and that build health.
Dickens' A Christmas Carol is not so much a story as a display of characters who were shaped by conscious decisions. You see and instantly recognize the characters in Bob Cratchit's free-living, free-wheeling, loving family. You know the joy he experiences in his extended family and the obvious loving bond he has made with his crippled son Tiny Tim are real.
You'll even more clearly understand and recognize, as I did, that the greed and selfishness of Scrooge were conscious decisions. The frightening part of this story is the magnitude of alienation that these decisions wrought upon him.
Nothing enriches life more than supportive human relationships, and nothing impoverishes it more than their absence. At the end of the story, we celebrate—and possibly weep, as well—at Scrooge's redemption. For him, it was not too late.
What I also like about A Christmas Carol is that while it’s a Christmas story, the message is universal. As you celebrate the holidays this year—whether it’s by lighting the candles on the Hanukkah menorah, enjoying the traditions of Kwanzaa, or gathering around the Christmas tree—make a conscious decision to revel in your relationship with those around you. You’ll be healthier and happier for it.
Now it’s your turn: What’s your favorite holiday tradition?
You may also be interested in:
Holiday Smarts—Did You Know?
4 Ways to Undo Holiday Indulgences
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