I rewatched the documentary, Hillbilly, this evening. So am reposting this from November last year.
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| photo credit: Aaron Springston |
Hillbillies. What comes to mind when you hear this word? Perhaps the Beverly Hillbillies, or depictions in cartoons of this group of people, maybe a mixture of the redneck genre and hillfolk. Whatever the case, more than likely it is a caricature of the reality. I’ve read Hillbilly Elegy and I live in the Ozark hills, so my study is more than intellectual. I truly want to know the motivation behind those who voted for our current president, so I listen and learn. A documentary called “Hillbilly” is perhaps the most poignant portrayal I’ve seen or read. A young woman who escaped her Kentucky home and makes films in California put together this movie. She has made me think deeply about my prejudices. It reinforces my feeling that we all want the same things in life: love, a warm home, a feeling of security in our jobs and environment. How we become confused in those desires is what fascinates me.
"The history of our country, like all history, illustrates the might of Mind, and shows human power to be proportionate to its embodiment of right thinking. A few immortal sentences, breathing the omnipotence of divine justice, have been potent to break despotic fetters and abolish the whipping post and slave market; but oppression neither went down in blood, nor did the breath of freedom come from the cannon's mouth. Love is the liberator." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 225
One of the most important books of our age is The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz. Today I've been thinking about the first agreement: Be Impeccable With Your Word. What a wonderful world we would have if everyone did this one simple thing. When we hear something which sounds too awful to be true, it may very well be a lie. For example: Hillary Clinton is running a prostitution ring out of Pizza Hut. If you hear something so ridiculous, wonder why you're hearing it. If a friend tells you something derogatory about a mutual friend, don't tell anyone else. Remember the Mark Twain statement: “A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth can get its boots on.” If you tell someone you're going to do something, do it. But if you cannot, for whatever reason, be honest with them; don't make up an excuse or pretend you never said it. If you promise your dog a walk every day, by golly you'd better do it, because you can't lie to a dog. (the same goes for any promise) If you're writing something similar to this, practice what you preach. It's easy to know what to do, but sometimes difficult to live in truth and love. Do it anyway. And finally, if someone says something you think to be incredibly foolish, be gentle in your correction. This one is tough for me, so I saved it for last. Go forward with joy, sowing good will and compassion! Namaste...
