Thursday, June 26, 2008
"Because So-and-So did it."
I'm just politically spent. For a couple days now, I've just been sitting - in silence. I'm worn out by the hypocrisy of the "game." And make no mistake, it is all a damn game - one in which "we the people" are merely pawns. I clicked through my links, lurking, just to see who was saying what. I came across two posts that moved me to comment.
This one, "Go Sit Down Somewhere" at Cliff's Crib about indicted Congressman William Jefferson's plan to run again as well as the indictment of his kinfolk was not only hilarious in its observations, but dead-on. Read this post when you get a chance. Here's part of my comment:
"Cliff...I don't know man, it seems the sole purpose for our doing better in this country is so that we can mimic the Burning House rather than transform it. I expected better, but that's on me. I'm so tired of hearing, "They did it, why can't we?" as if that makes it alright. Those of us who teach our children right from wrong when they're little, appear hypocrites once they're grown because all around them they hear the adults saying shit children always say when parents ask, "Why did you do that?" - "Because So-and-So did it."
In a weird show of "solidarity" (pretty sad isn't it that this is what we two Black people share?), I gave him a link to a similar story from my home state of South Carolina regarding House Majority Whip, Rep. James Clyburn. Sad, sad, sad. Appears, some of us are who they thought we were.
The other, with which I'd like to leave you, was this one at Sugar-N-Spice entitled, "We Are." Man! That video of Sweet Honey in the Rock coupled with Sugar's words were soul-stirring, uplifting and - the truth! (h/t to Sugar for this beautiful find!):
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7 comments:
I know, right. I’ve little scraps of papers with scribbled thoughts on them about Obama and his shit, but I’m burned out, just burned out and cannot seem to put it all together and make something out of it. It’s hard seeing something happening and not being able to stop it.
Good ol’ Sugar.
kitty...Hey! Sorry about the delay. Along with the burn-out, got a few other things happening. I turned on the TV the other day and caught sight of the color-coordinated Unity rally and just about lost my lunch. I know it's all politics, but that was hard to see!
Yeah, that video was right on time.
Deb: "For a couple days now, I've just been sitting - in silence. I'm worn out by the hypocrisy of the 'game.'"
I'm missing you and keeping you in my prayers.
Let me assure you: "Nothing Matters."
If that statement sounds outlandish, or otherwise inane, then read on, I have a few others that are equally "outlandish" and "inane."
Deb, may I use this opportunity to tell you about something I learned years ago about Life?
Life appears to be in charge: it seems to dictate our experiences and how we respond to them.
Further, we seem to be at the mercy of situations and events that befall us from time to time.
That's how it seems. But in reality we're always in charge, even when it seems we're completely helpless, and not calling the shots.
If that statement, too, sounds absurd don't bail on me, yet. Hear me out. You may still decide to bail later, and that's okay.
If it doesn't sound absurd, it means that you've taken a closer look at Life and have ferreted out one of its deepest secrets.
It's only secret, I might add, in that it hasn't yet been revealed.
Deb, you've advanced farther down the spiritual path than you know.
You're kind, generous, empathetic, and selfless.
I give you nothing but high-fives and big props.
Some years ago I came across a little book written about a black man who was considered a master by many--blacks as well as whites--with a large following and roundly respected.
He taught others how to be master of the moment, but not of the situation.
To be master of the situation is just as daunting as being master of the moment, but I won't discuss that here and now.
He taught the following: "You're responsible for what you think, feel, and do."
In other words, you can't ascribe to another your thoughts--"You made me think that--a mean thought or a happy thought."
What you think is your responsibility and yours alone.
You can't ascribe to another what you feel--you made me feel a certain way: angry, sad, or happy.
What you feel is your responsibility and yours alone.
You can't ascribe to another what you do--you made me do that: hurt you, disrespect you, or, on the other hand, show you kindness, patience or affection.
What you do is your responsibility and yours alone.
In recent years, this "master the moment" ideology has give way to a more expansive view of things, one embracing all of reality as we know it. It goes this way:
Nothing in your world is real.
The meaning of everything is the meaning you give it.
You are who you say you are.
Your experience is what you say it is.
Challenging statement, don't you think? Its seeming absurdity may tempt you to dismiss it out of hand, but I encourage you to take a long, hard look at it first.
In short, Nothing Matters. It only matters because we say it does.
And we get to define how it matters.
And how it matters becomes our perspective of a thing, person, place, situation, event, and experience.
Therefore, perspective creates perception and perception our experiences. Actually, it's a simple process, one we use daily, constantly, and, most of the time, without being aware of it.
Whether we know it or not, we have many God attributes: the power to create, free will, and the power to choose what we will create with our free will.
We're always at choice. Always.
Now, I've gently taken you by the shoulders, shaken you, and have called you by your name.
Whether its enough to arouse, only you know. But be assured, I'm keeping you in my prayers.
the first domino...Hey! Nice to be missed AND prayed for.
Amid all the noise of life happening, I've been doing some serious "soul-listening" and as you said, the messages are all around me - calling my name and gently shaking my shoulders.
"You're responsible for what you think, feel, and do."
A statement with which I totally agree even though its acceptance continues to be a work in progress.
"Nothing in your world is real."
Challenging? Yes. I actually agree with the rest of hthe statement, but I'm still taking a long hard look at this part.
"We're always at choice. Always."
I know. It, too, is a work in progress.
Thanks for stopping by.
^I've been doing some serious "soul-listening"
I like the word, "soul-listening." Life gets a little noisy at times. Stopping the noise just for a moment can be salutary for the soul and the mind.
Listening is equally valuable. It allows us to hear what God (our Soul) is telling us.
Are you still having trouble sleeping? Do you meditate?
When sleep won't come, I use the following meditation: not only does it bring on sleep, if that is my desire, it also opens the channel to my Soul and allows me to hear what is being said.
Once I'm relaxed, I turn off the chatter in my head. You'd be surprised how much we talk to ourselves.
You won't find it easy at first, but it is doable. Just stop thinking to yourself, and seek the silence, the stillness within.
Listen to your breathing, and only that, if that helps. But don't talk to your self.
If the chatter sneaks in, don't berate yourself, keep your stillness intact, just go back to emptying your mind of all talk, all noise, all chatter.
If you stray again, pull yourself back.
Do it for 15 minutes. You can extend the time as you master the technique.
This exercise can have some surprising, pleasant, but harmless side effects, but I'll let you discover that on your own.
I hope this works for you, and that you have many nights of restful sleep.
"Nothing in your world is real."
Think along these lines: if it were real, then we'd lose one of our prized God attributes--that of creator.
Because it's not real, we get to create--everything around us. Without us nothing would be, and, like Adam, we get to name every thing that we create (our experiences) or is created for us, (events, happenings, occurrences, and so forth).
Further, if the things in our world were real, they would come "prepackaged" so to speak, complete with their own definition, characterization, and attributes that would preclude change, alteration, or modification.
Therefore, we could only see (experience) those "things" in one way, and one way only, and so would everyone else.
I wish you much joy, peace, and happiness.
Namaste
Hola!! Are you from South Carolina?! Girl, I'm from S.C. too! Kindred spirits. :) I'm sorry I haven't been here before, but it seems there aren't enough hours in the day, nor enough time to keep track of all of the latest BHO foul-ups and put them together right!? I feel so numb most days like I'm in a state of shock almost. One of your recent comments at my site about the travesty that is occuring with the mumbling about racism being over if Obama wins was dead on the money and it makes me so afraid. I'm trying to "keep hope alive" that somehow, the country will come to its senses and give him the boot. I had such high hopes for Deval Patrick out of Massachusetts, but apparently, they aren't so happy with him there so I don't know about his POTUS chances now. :( Anyway, just wanted to say hello!
sugar...Hey! Yes I am, from the Port City born and raised and I knew you were too when I read that post where you talked about "boonking down." I cracked up! I'd never heard that word used anywhere, I mean NOWHERE - but home!!
Thanks for taking a minute to stop by! Girl, the way you crank out those posts and travel for work, I know you only have a minute! I've not been getting much writing done myself, but I plan to do better. I'm sitting here right now going through my many drafts to see if there are any I want to finish before I start fresh.
Like you, I'm in that state of shock and overload on this election season. That we ended up with the Changeling as the nominee is a travesty for Black people for sure. So many are backing him unequivocally, trying to "keep hope alive" that he's going to give a damn about changing the institutionalized racism that is ongoing in this country. I see a rude awakening, along with a whole lot of blowback ahead.
But there may be a bright side to this. After all, being hell-bent on the whole racism-transcending, post-racial candidacy thing has sparked more open conversations about racism in this country than we've been having. Can't eat conversations, but, it's a start.
I don't know much about Deval Patrick at all, but I see him as another Obama for some reason. Well, glad you came by. Come back anytime - and I'm waiting on that Brazilezebub post! :-)
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