LinkedIn's First Christmas Carol

To Offer a Peaceful Passing to My Father.

I was deeply touched by the private messages this week after My Christmas Carol series, inspired by Charles Dickens and the story of my father.

Although he is now not able to consciously be here with us, his story will continue touching the lives of thousands. And I have the honourable task of making sure his message is heard, and the stigma is lifted off addictions once and for all.

People suffering from addictions need to know that they have help, and they are not alone. We need to learn how to reach out to them. 

Don’t be afraid to speak up. 

And if you are touched, please leave a comment and LIKE. 

Next week is the holiest time for Christians. Christmas is the time of new life and new beginnings. My Christmas Carol truly reflects the most beautiful message of this festive season: Love and Compassion. For others and oneself. 

This is My Christmas Carol of the Transformation of Love, inspired by the story of my father.

“The journey of a thousand miles starts with the very first step” ... and, I add, it continues and finishes above all with unconditional love.

______________________________

PART ONE

Once upon a time, there was a little boy with dreams and an eager, loving heart. The Little Abasc who was looking for love all his life;, firstly, his mother never really loved him, he found refuge in the love of his grandmother. 

Then he found the love of his life at 17. He became a proud dad at 21. He was devoted and loving and wanted always to be good, but somehow, he was fighting with inner demons all the time. 

He could not face failure, and when he was really lost at times, he turned to a kind of happiness that nothing or no one else could give him. 

Alcohol became his refuge and his best friend. 

From time to time, he sought his friend; they hung out together, then when things started to turn better, he would ignore him.

A couple of decades passed like this. 

Then an unfortunate event changed the course of his life and would teach him the lesson of a lifetime. And not just him, but the lives of those who loved him and knew him as a proud man, friend, husband, father, son, and son-in-law… and life would never be the same again….

__________________________

PART TWO 

One warm October morning, the family doctor called the ambulance from the family home while his wife was standing next to him in distress, a woman who had been supporting him for over four decades. 

Abasc was rushed to the hospital. While heavily sedated and asleep, he was visited by the Spirit of Christmas Past.

The big turning point for Abasc was losing his job. He felt useless, worthless, despised, and scorned. This was the ultimate defeat for him. 

So, he decided to hang out with his best friend more and more. It was fun, he could laugh, he did not have a care in the world, and life was good when he drank. And he drank more. 

His family did not understand why he decided to seek refuge in this indulgence. Arguments followed, and Abasc did everything to escape home and reality.

He even got a great job opportunity via a long-lost friend, but alcohol had such a firm grip on him by then, that he did not want to function in society anymore; but instead withdrew into his world and hung out more with his best friend. 

He stopped listening to everyone around him. He became violent and argumentative. 

“Dear Boy,” - the spirit of Christmas Past said- “I know you never had a the love of a mother. Maybe, she was not loved herself. Maybe she never learnt how to love you. It is not your fault. 

“When you lost your job, you did not fail either your mother or your family. You were only set free to do what you were really born to do. 

"You had so many talents, skills, and loving people around you. 

“You were one of the richest men alive. But you could not see how blessed you were. 

Those around you were made distraught by your drinking. And above all, you destroyed yourself.”

Abasc was deeply upset listening to the spirit…. he woke up…. it was dark in the room, only some gloomy and twinkling lights were glancing through the half-opened white door from the cold linoleum-covered corridor.

He was exhausted and fell asleep again… and had another visitor … the spirit of Christmas Now…

_________________________________

 PART THREE

When people cannot find the love inside and let their lives spiral out of control, they may turn to addictions. They may punish themselves in ways that are not obvious to onlookers;  they only suffer in silence. While their expectations are extreme, they push people away, and insecurity takes over their entire existence.  

The Spirit of Christmas Now sat down on the bed of Abasc, with arms and legs crossed. 

“Take a look inside your heart and tell me: Do you have love in your heart for yourself?” he asked Abasc. “Do you feel that you are not worthy, or you just want to show the “smiling and ‘everything is ok” face to everyone?

What are you trying to run away from?

What are you trying to hide? 

“Do you think you need help?

Do you want help? 

“Do you want to continue like this? 

“Would you try to help someone in the same situation as you are?

What would you do first?” 

Abasc could only think of one thing: Love can heal. And he started to cry. 

“I thought no one loved me- he sobbed- and I was good for on no one, but now, as I look back, I realise how many lives were touched by me being here, and how many lives touched me.” 

That moment he realised that he was good enough. And he was worthy enough. 

Self-power is lost when drugs or alcohol takes a person over, and the only empowering pieces are loving oneself and being loved. Then there is hope.

The key is to understand where you come from, that you can make mistakes, and you can overcome it all. The view from the top of the mountain is phenomenal. 

Abasc woke up, and he felt like he had not for a long time. 

Suddenly a long corridor opened up ahead of him with the most incredible dazzling golden light. It was warm, loving, and welcoming, and he heard the voice of the spirit of Christmas Future....  

____________________________________

PART FOUR

This is not the end of the story; this is only the beginning- the spirit of Christmas Future said to Abasc as they started to walk together along the corridor flooded with the loving light.

Abasc stopped for a second- he looked back over his scrawny shoulders that once used to carry the weight of the world and said:

“Love yourself first, and everything else falls into line

You don’t have to look for anything. You are enough. 

Always look forward and upward. Hold your face up to the sky. Always.

Never allow your past to steal your present.

Keep moving and riding the bike of life because the only way out is through. Keep your eyes on the goal; don’t let obstacles frighten you; it is the way you carry your load that will get you through. 

Only strong and extraordinary people get the hard jobs of life because they alone are capable of that extraordinary finish.

Once you put your life back together, you will have the best days ever. Try it. Make a decision, come out the other end as a star.”

He turned his head back and continued to walk the golden path. 

________________________________

CLOSURE

My wish for you, and I am sure it would be the one of my father, that many will read this Christmas Carol of Love because we can learn so much from someone who has walked the path before us. So life can be and will be different when we decide to change or help someone else change. 

It is time to heal differences, time to cease arguments for good. And it is time to listen and understand one another. Because the time on this planet is limited and to make the best of it, there is only one way. To Love. 

Merry Christmas to you all.

~The Author