By Alex Garrett (12-11-25)
I say it every Christmas / Chanukah season that my crutches have an owner .
It’s a play on the chilling conversation Scrooge has with the Ghost of Christmas Present in ‘A Christmas Carol’ :
“Spirit,” said Scrooge with an interest he had never felt before, “tell me if Tiny Tim will live.”
“I see a vacant seat,” replied the Ghost, “in the poor chimney-corner, and a crutch without an owner, carefully preserved.’’ https://www.open-bks.com/library/classics/dickens_charles_carol/carol-81-82.html
Of course Tiny Tim did NOT die but The line from A Christmas Carol, ‘i see a crutch without an owner’ sends chills down my spine and inspires me to work hard to make sure these crutches have an owner every Christmas season.
It’s even heightened now that this is now my third Christmas without my dad. He loved Christmas and he also loved carrying me crosstown to St. Thomas Church in NYC on his shoulders ! Yet, looking at the New York Stock Exchange Christmas tree, I felt not only his physical absence , but a feeling that nothing is permanent ! It struck me, that one day I won’t be here to experience seeing Christmas in NYC. How morbid a thought, right?
I thought so too until I saw the beauty in the fact we are here for the time on Earth God designated for us (I believe at birth). Because thinking that way will push us all to have ONE LEG UP on life while we are here! Thinking that life is not permanent should inspire us to experience anything and everything NOW . It’s also a reminder He wakes us up every day to get it right in this life and move things forward in THIS LIFE.
I’m not saying I’m going tomorrow or next year or anytime soon. I am saying I am fired up to keep myself healthy so I can ENJOY THIS LIFE and all that it brings! I don’t know why it was put into perspective the fragilities of life by looking at the NYSE Christmas tree, but as I write this, I am thankful it did !
If you see consecutive days of places with Christmas lights on my Instagram (ALEXGNYC1), it’s because I am so impressed by the establishment’s holiday decor and at same time feeling BLESSED to experience the Christmas lights around NYC!
I am on a drive to 35 years on this Earth. In everything I get to experience , I’ll remember that thought of impermanence looking at the NYSE Christmas tree and feel extremely blessed for every opportunity that comes my way!
Sure , we all are not here forever , and that may sound depressing and raw. However, the beauty in knowing that is we can feel happy and excited and ready to break out and be ourselves. We can also recognize this Christmas season it could be our time to live out the purpose He has us on Earth for!
‘Tis the season to live life to the fullest and I am personally thankful to my incredible family and all those around me who are encouraging me to keep growing in this life! I also want to personally thank Charles Dickens for the inspiration with that line ‘crutch without an owner’ alone because I feel the urge to make sure my crutches have an owner each and every Christmas and each and every day! And, of course ‘God Bless Us, everyone !’
OneLegUpAlex 