August 21: The End of It, Profit, Kindness Virus

"Ha, ha!" laughed the same woman, when old Joe, producing a flannel bag with money in it, told out their several gains upon the ground.  "This is the end of it, you see!  He frightened every one away from him when he was alive, to profit us when he was dead!  Ha, ha, ha!"

Scrooge is watching the scavengers pick over his belongings after his death.  The undertaker, charwoman, and laundress have plundered Scrooge's corpse and house for the items they are fencing to old Joe.  The lesson is pretty clear:  you better treat people well when you're alive, or else you're screwed when you die.  That might not sound very eloquent, but it isn't a very eloquent situation.  Scrooge is dead, and these people are picking his bones clean, so to speak.

It's always good to treat the people in your life well.  Scrooge has no one.  He has alienated himself from everyone, including his only living relative, his nephew Fred.  He rebuffs all attempts of human connection at the beginning of the novel.  His only interest is in humanity's resources.  Translation:  money.  Thus, when he dies, the only thing the undertaker, charwoman, and laundress care about is Scrooge's money/possessions.

I always try to follow the golden rule.  I teach my children to follow the golden rule.  I want people to be nice to me.  I want them to bake me chocolate chip cookies and brownies.  I want them to buy me birthday and Christmas presents.  I want them to invite me over for dinner.  I want them to bring me sausage muffins for breakfast.  Therefore, I have to be nice, even when I don't feel like being nice.

That is my point here this morning.  I don't necessarily feel happy or generous, but I want to be treated kindly.  Kindness is a virus.  A very contagious virus.  If you sneeze your kindness onto somebody, kindness will eventually be sneezed back at you.

Saint Marty needs to go disinfect himself now.



Remember to wash your hands