December 10

December 10
Scrooge now sees a slightly older Scrooge. He is in conversation with a young woman named Belle. She is breaking off their engagement crying that greed has corrupted the love that used to impassion Scrooge's heart.

“His face had not the harsh and rigid lines of later years; but it had begun to wear the signs of care and avarice. There was an eager, greedy, restless motion in the eye, which showed the passion that had taken root, and where the shadow of the growing tree would fall.
He was not alone, but sat by the side of a fair young girl in a mourning-dress: in whose eyes there were tears, which sparkled in the light that shone out of the Ghost of Christmas Past.
"It matters little," she said, softly. "To you, very little. Another idol has displaced me; and if it can cheer and comfort you in time to come, as I would have tried to do, I have no just cause to grieve."
"What Idol has displaced you?" he rejoined.
"A golden one."

Sometimes the joy of Christmas has been displaced by an “Idol” and sometimes it is “a golden one.” It’s easy for us to point fingers at the Mall and say “See! They have a golden Idol. They depend on this season of the year to make their profit.” However, the power of “A Christmas Carol” is not to point at the other and say “See!” But to point at ourselves and see.

We can see many things through this tale. We can see how we have lost our way and have pursued idols and not what we care about most. Here Scrooge is faced with following an idol of money at the expense of the true relationship that meant so much to him.
“Why cannot we be friends?"
"Good afternoon," said Scrooge.