Monday, July 15, 2013

Honkers

I was driving in a construction area the other day and the stop signs were a bit back from the intersection. I stopped, started to ease forward, and another car came from the left with out even slowing at their stop sign, and beeped at me!  I'll admit I was a little put out because I know she didn't stop, I was watching her come up the hill. I got a quick surprised look and point at her stop sign in before she went by, and was kind of proud of myself for being so fast in my reaction. It seems like I never have a quick response, and I almost never honk at anyone, they are usually gone before I even think of it.  This other driver, she was a fast honker!She must drive with her hand on the horn.


When someone honks at you, it usually means something along the lines of, "Careful, eh! You're about to mess up my car, my space, my day! Back off! Do you see me?!?"


There was a woman who worked in my department who always had more to do than anyone else, she was always running to get her stuff done, she was always running to her other job - proving she worked harder than anyone else... She was always emitting these big, breathy sighs to emphasize her frustration and unhappiness. She lived with her hand on the disgruntled horn of her life. And I stopped going to the same meetings with her if I could avoid it.


I know a family that plays favorites. There is one person who is the 'golden' person who can do no wrong, whose welfare is everyone's first concern, whose popularity is of the utmost importance to promote. All other family members are second class citizens and now it's gone on to the next generation... That family lives with their hand on the horn of someone else's car.


Some people have a political horn. Or a church or religion horn. Or a family horn. People inherit horns; they are passed down for so many generations that people can't even remember why they should honk anymore. Horns are picked because they are pretty. Or they make someone sound important. Or they are loud enough to persuade other people, some people forgo the cute little VW bug horn to carry around a bullhorn... There are probably as many horns are there are people - we all live with our hand on the horn of something. Even abstaining from honking is a special kind of honker. We're all honkers, you and I. 

Maybe we should consider what kind of honker we want to be.


For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of