hear no evil

see no evil
speak no evil
.
I always wondered about that set of phrases - does it mean to be pure in heart and always give others the benefit of the doubt and see the best in things? does it mean stick your head in the sand and ignore what going on around you? what does it mean? a very dear friend of mine (you know who you are) has/used to have this phrase "they are dancing as fast as they can" to describe the contribution made by others, and I used to have this groovy woman image who swivelled away (like a lot of what I used to have, I lost it); I totally got what the friend meant, about those around me; so, for me, that's kind of what the hear/ see/speak "no evil" thing is - those around are doing their level best. . .
.
. . .and I respect that
.
I do

7 comments:

Mel said...

Yup, I know ya do.
I also know it's hard to watch--especially when your hands are tied (or definitely FEELS like they're tied whether they are or not).

You just keep taking good care of you and let time do it's thing.
And know folks are praying for you and thinking of you bunches and lotsa.

*HUGE hugs*

Anonymous G said...

from me too.

*HUGS*

Zig said...

level best is good enough!

even a wobbly one works ;-)

(((((X)))))

Gordie said...

I don't think the phrase means "put your head in the sand"; I've always thought it meant that we shouldn't be keen to find evil in other people.

There's an English proverb: 'Speak of the devil and he is bound to appear'.

Gordie said...

I remember a film called 'I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can'. It was about a friendship between two women, one who was a Pollyanna type who needed everything to be positive all the time (a bit like Bree in Desperate Housewives), and the other one who was dying of cancer.

The 'positive' friend gets addicted to anti-depressants, and the terminally ill one helps her recover and learn a different attitude to life. I always thought "dancing as fast as I can" was the addict's description of her own self-destructive need to keep everything looking positive.

(((((ILTV)))))

I, Like The View said...

I don't watch DH, so can't comment on that one

for me the phrase is positive, but in a calmer way - as in someone is just doing their best. . . (kinda like your take on "see no, speak no, hear no")

:-)

mig bardsley said...

I think gordie has it right about the three monkeys.
I worry about people dancing as fast as they can - dancing should follow the music and good music always leaves you room to breathe.
xxxx