Going to “h” in a handbasket…
Have you ever wondered about where old sayings really come from or, indeed what they really mean?
I was thinking today about what I might want to record for my blog. Part of me wants to go “postal” on the political stuff that is going on… then I revert to self preservation. Part of me wants to find some quirky, humorous subject to wax forth upon, but what do I do when I don’t feel quirky and humorous? Part of me wants to talk about my deep spiritual realizations and then I begin to wonder if my realizations are really that deep, anyway.
So then, I had this thought about that old saying and it seemed pretty apropo.
Although I am not sure about it’s origins, I do have a thought about what it might mean today for me. And it might just wrap up all of these disparate subjects that want discussion, today. For me, I think that this saying refers to the idea of just handing over your will, your thought processes, your opinions, your good common sense, your power or whatever else you are handing over to someone else to control, manipulate and shape. I think that this saying would pretty well sum up what is happening in our political process, the current lack of humor or quirkiness and the current direction of my spiritual inquiry, as well.
WHAT IF WE STOPPED LISTENING TO EVERY OTHER “EXPERT” ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD WANT OR BELIEVE. There is a deep spiritual process that involves getting quiet and just listening to what is inside your own heart… discovering what do you really believe?
When I listen to my friends on the “left” or on the “right”, I mostly want to ask, ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR EVER LOVIN’ MINDS? Where have good common sense, the ability to think for yourselves, and most of all, compassion and the presumption of goodness in others gone? Well, I will tell you… they have all been dumped in that HANDBASKET and it is well on its way to “h”!
Are we really so willing to believe the worst about those that think differently of us. Are we really so willing to assume the worst, just because someone believes differently. Are we really so willing to speak the worst, in order to prove a point?
If you look around you, I’ll bet that there is someone close to you who is on the opposite side of some argument… political, spiritual or just how best to manage daily life. Bring the rhetoric home and ask yourself if you really believe what the “pundits” would have you believe about that person. If you are “right” do you really believe that that loved one or close friend really wants to overthrow the country… If you are “left” do you really believe that your friend wants millions of people to die in the streets for want of good health care? And when we get to spiritual questions it gets even more volitile! LETS GET REAL, PEOPLE. Listen to your hearts… “those” people are people that you know and love… the only solution to any of our differences is to put down the assinine rhetoric and reactivity and talk about our commonalities and find the places we agree. While we may disagree on the how best to accomplish our goals and pursue our beliefs, I believe that we will discover just how many of us desire the same things… taking good care of our planet, helping those less fortunate than ourselves… remembering to be grateful for the blessings that we have today.
If we can do this, we might just turn that handbasket around and carry it right up to “H”. And of course, that will return me to my usual quirky, humorous self… SO GET BUSY, PEOPLE!
(ok, confirmation from the Universe can be very strange, indeed… I just turned on the t.v. to find Kathy Griffin discussing how she is “going to “h” in a handbasket! HA! Thanks, Universe!)
