I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.
~ Charles Dickens
If you’re a Dickens fan as I am, you know that one of the central themes in a lot of his work is the idea of conversion. Some evil and/or misguided character sees the light in the end and becomes a better person. Everyone is familiar with the Christmas conversion of Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol
So often we allow ourselves to get so caught up focusing on differences with others that it can make us forget how much we all really have in common. Politics, religion and money are topics that are sure to breed disagreements. Put them together, and you’ll have a real tinder box on your hands.
At some point, most personal finance blogs will address these touchy subjects, usually garnering lots of comments. Recently, a post on the Get Rich Slowly blog and one from Redeeming Riches managed to broach the religion-money relationship subject without too much vitriol. That probably had a great deal to do with agile comment moderation on the part of the bloggers. Still, it shows that it is possible to have an intelligent debate on any topic, provided both sides are willing to respect one another. (As an aside, Rob Carrick’s Personal Finance Reader provided a link to an article on faith-based ETFs for those who are interested.)
It’s not my intention to throw a match on the tinder box today, although I may address the topic at some point when I’m feeling brave. My rule of thumb is live and let live. Although I may disagree very forcefully with your beliefs, that does not make us enemies. I may not like your ideas, but I respect your right to have them. I take issue only with those whose actions harm others.
This is a great time of year, whether we celebrate the religious or secular meaning of Christmas, to redouble our efforts to come to cooperative solutions. We can accomplish a lot more by working together than by working against each other.
Each year, as the calendar turns, I try to have my own “throw open the shutters and ask what day it is” type of conversion. For me, that means stepping back, putting things in perspective, letting some things go, and trying to start fresh. It means making that extra little effort to remember that we’re all in this together, and to contribute to peace on Earth.
Do you feel the same need to reassess as the year winds down?
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