I, like many others may be approaching a time when I strain a little harder to be sure I “hear” what others may say or even be known to turn the TV up a little louder to hear what is being said. I am genuinely interested in what many have to say on a variety of matters that are pertinent or relevant to that which I should be “in the know”. I will also admit that I love to help “keep a secret” to surprise someone or be able to see their faces when they receive good news. I also know that I am privileged to have information that is “not mine to share” at times too. I have many fond memories of how my siblings and I would crawl in the bed with mama and daddy – they had a King-sized bed when we were all in middle and high school – sometimes it would be late at night or early on a Saturday morning and we would just sit and chat about lots of goings on in our lives. I can remember so vividly that daddy said during one of those “family gatherings” that it takes all “6” of us to keep a secret!!!! Yep, there was truth to that then and as we learned, rarely did one of us know something that the other 5 didn’t already know – great security in knowing we all had the same or similar news.
In recent months, if not years, I have become accepting that I don’t have to know everything or know it first. For one who likes to be “in the know”, it is a hard place to be and often times an awkward place to be. I have also been learning that in spite of having confidential information, I may not have all the details. There is a huge responsibility in having information that can be detrimental to others if shared. It is in this vein of thinking, that I have found myself very cautious in sharing what I know….now, I know someone out there reading this and knowing me has just had a huge laugh…..
I often think about the game we have played as children….Gossip. I think we can give it other names …. Really!, Did you know that…?, Can you believe what I just heard?…. Whatever you want to call it, it plays out the same….One person says something and repeats it to the next and it goes around the circle until it arrives back at the originator of the message, word or phrase – to find out just how wrong the message, word or phrase has become twisted.
These are some of the thoughts I have had in recent times as I hear how angry and upset people are getting over what they have “heard”. Many things that have been heard are repeats and interpretations of what someone else has repeated, interpreted, or heard. Rarely, and I mean rarely do we really know what happened at the site of the incident/accident/injury. Nor do we know what preceded the event that may have had influence on the event. If we were not there in person, we are at the mercy of someone else to report accurately what they saw, heard, witnessed and confirm if they got their insights and information from another source. Yes, this can all be said to be a one “vicious circle” of hearsay’s!
I do not think I have my head “buried in the sand” on national and international matters. I do not put my trust in all who are and have served in our government circles. I do believe there are some people who do not have the best interest of others at heart. What I do know is that I do not have reliable and first hand knowledge of the many mistresses of elected officials; I do not have personal knowledge of indiscreet behaviors of clergy; I do not know what is discussed in “top secret” government meetings and on this list can go. What I am saying is that the hearsay that our world seems to think is “reliable and take it to the bank” information may really be just interpretations of a few facts that have been repeated and re-interpreted to help one posture themselves into an opinion…..to only repeat it and allow for more misinformation to be communicated; primarily because of our own personal interpretation or bias.
I have become as tired as you all are of the trash that is shared about everyone – this is when I wish I was a little more deaf!!! However, I am in no seat to judge many who are serving, have served, have given a hug or a kiss to someone in public, run by someone’s house or apartment and found someone in their “pj’s” at an odd time, had a drink or two at the bar; etc. I also have learned that I don’t have to know everything and in many circumstances, there is no way I can have full and accurate knowledge of what transpired. The time is now for us to be careful what we share – is it fact or fiction, first hand information or repeated? Yes, there are some people who may misrepresent situations; however the majority of people are not deliberately hiding the truth, being secretive or dishonest – there are just some things in life, we don’t need to know all the details or specifics. And, this concludes with I know there is meanness in this world but telling half-truths, not based on accuracy, will only perpetuate ill will among us all.
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