GOSSIP...

I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to broach the subject but it has been on my mind this week.

I learned at a very early age that if you say something about someone; you should, if confronted, be able to say whatever it was you were saying to the person you were gossiping about. Tough lesson at 17 but I fessed up, told the truth, apologized and walked through the fire.

Unfortunately, gossip is an addictive mistress. Once you get started it is hard to stop. Doesn't matter if you are 15 or 48, or 79. Doesn't matter if you have vowed to yourself to stop the gossip. Sigh, I try so hard.

This week several friends were gossiping about two of my other dear dear friends. I was drinking a beer and just sat there with a stomach ache and an overwhelming need to stop it. It seems that friend 1 was complaining about friend 2 for being inappropriate. All I could think of was - we are all inappropriate at one time or another including friend 1. But my two beer buddies were really carrying on. So finally I had to say it - that I was disturbed by what I was hearing. I stated that friend 1 and 2 were dear friends to each other and that they should be talking to each other instead of friend 1 gossiping to my beer friends. Oh what tangled web we weave... none-the-less beer friends were using it as fuel to put down friend 2. Not good. So the only foolish blather that came out of my mouth was some sort of incoherent comment about if friend 1 gossiped so about friend 2 - what must people say about me. I too have been in appropriate as has friend 1. We have all been inappropriate.

None-the-less one of the beer friends went on about how they expect people to talk about them and they don't care. Pretty much ignored my comment and continued.

Sigh...

Do you care if you are gossip fodder, or would you rather someone tell you the truth about something you are doing?

Frankly I would prefer to be confronted with something I am doing wrong then to have people gossip behind my back. Gossip sucks positive energy, kills friendships, and will leave you lonely.

If you gossip - Stop, if you can't stop then at least have the decency to confide in someone who will keep your words in confidence.

I don't want to hear crap about my friends - they are my friends! I know they aren't perfect-neither am I. I know they sometimes make really stupid decisions - so do I. I know they are sometimes inappropriate - so am I.

Enough said - PEACE!!