A Christmas Carol

Recently my sister, Jan, her daughter-in-law, Kendra, and her granddaughter, Elizabeth, and I attended a local production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, or "The Gospel According to Ebenezer Scrooge!" This version is an original adaptation written, directed and choreographed by my friend Paul. The costumes were designed by his wife, Anne.

In researching Dickens' life, Paul states that Charles was going through a 'particularly "dark night of the soul" during the pre-holiday season of 1843, facing many of the challenges that we face in our day - financial, family, and struggling with a sense of personal self-worth.' He began writing  A Christmas Carol simply as a quick way to make some holiday money, but during the writing of it, a miraculous changed occurred, not only to Scrooge, but to Dickens himself!

Dickens wrote in various diaries and correspondences that in the writing of the story he was "reborn," and in the setting down of the tale he "wept and laughed and wept again, and excited himself in a most extraordinary manner!" In Paul's adaptation Scrooge undergoes a spiritual awakening as well which adds tremendously to this classic Christmas tale.

Our eight-year-old Elizabeth, we are proud to say, managed to stay awake during the entire play, never was afraid of any of the three "visions," and lined up with us afterward to thank the players.

Well done, Lizzie!

And so, as Tiny Tim observed, "God Bless Us, everyone!"