Don’t Hesitate

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is one of the greatest stories ever written.  The movie version featuring George C. Scott as Ebeneezer Scrooge from 1984 is my favorite adaptation of the story.  Of course I watched it this holiday season; it gives me chills every time.  Two lines in particular stood out for me this year. 

1. “’Almost’ carries no weight.” – The Ghost of Christmas Past.  In this scene, Scrooge is revisiting the one romantic love story of his life.  When Belle releases him because she feels he has chosen money and success over her, she walks away.  Ebeneezer says he ‘almost went after her.’  The Ghost of Christmas Past responds with the above line.  I have seen this movie countless times and heard that line, but it really struck me this year.  ‘Almost carries no weight.’  I love that the Ghost of Christmas Past is clear, precise, and direct with this statement.  It’s so true.  You can ‘almost’ until you’re blue in the face.  We often talk about the word ‘should’ in the same context – what I should do (or not do).  The Ghost is reminding Scrooge that his ‘almost’ got him nowhere.  Belle went on to marry and have a lovely family; Scrooge is alone and miserly.  For me, I don’t want to ‘almost’; I want to do.  Even if I fail, I can at least know that I did it.  I tried.  Is it time for you to release the ‘almost’? 

2. “’God forgive me for the time I’ve wasted.’” – Ebeneezer Scrooge.  This line gives me all the feels every time.  Scrooge has seen the light and is making amends with his nephew.  He knows he has wasted significant time in his life by not engaging with his family.  He has seen the potentially lonely ending he is facing, with not a soul in the world feeling any compassion for his life.  He realizes he does not want to leave the world in this manner, so he begins making the rounds to correct his wrongdoings.  I absolutely love that he acknowledges the waste of time he has done.  There is a moment earlier in the film when he says, ‘time is precious to me.’  But at that point, he values time for what he can achieve during it, how much money he can accumulate.  By the end, he learns there is more to life and better ways to spend his time.  And he knows that his forgiveness will come from God.  Time has become an interesting topic for me recently.  As I continue to age, I find that I am more selective about how I spend my time.  And in 2025, I want to be even more so.  I want to do not just what I want to do, but what I hear God telling me to do.  And I don’t want to be so bogged down with silly things that I miss something really valuable.  Our time on this earth is not endless; let’s do our best with the time we have.  Are you spending your time wisely? 

I choose a word of the year each January and write it down on a post-it for my car.  For 2025, it’s going to be a two-word phrase: Don’t Hesitate.  I am committing to remember that almost carries no weight and to not waste the precious gift of time I’ve been given.  Let’s do this – it’s a New Day.