How much of what we hear is actually the truth? When I see a news report or hear a story from a trusted person, I don’t usually question it. I was recently involved in an incident that could have ended tragically. Luckily, everyone was fine. News traveled fast and the multiple versions of the story that I heard were interesting to say the least. It was like a game of Telephone. One person told one person, they told one more person and so on. The problem is that the story changed a little bit each time until it was lacking most of the facts and was filled with details that never happened.

This made me think. How often do I hear about something that someone said and it upsets me? What are the chances that what I’m being told is actually what the other person said? I’m starting to think that most of the time, there is a chance it has been changed once or twice before reaching me. My favorite is when someone says, “Everyone is saying it.” Who is everyone? To me, that is a cop out that shifts the blame and holds nobody accountable but is still treated as truth.

I am starting to ask myself if what I am about to say is my news to share. If not, I will allow the person involved to tell their own story and their own truth. Even with the best of intentions, the game of telephone is tricky and certain to get at least some of the facts incorrectly. These days, we call it gossip. Let’s talk to each other, not about each other.

XX,

MG

TEA IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD