"Gossip" - be careful of the stones you throw.

 

Why you should not GOSSIP.

 

In Ancient Greece, Socrates had a great reputation of wisdom. One day, someone came to find the great philosopher and said to him:

- Do you know what I just heard about your friend?

- A moment, replied Socrates. Before you tell me, I would like to test you the three sieves.

- The three sieves?

- Yes, continued Socrates. Before telling anything about the others, it's good to take the time to filter what you mean. I call it the test of the three sieves. The first sieve is the TRUTH. Have you checked if what you're going to tell me is true?

- No, I just heard it.

- Very good! So, you don't know if it's true. We continue with the second sieve, that of KINDNESS. What you want to tell me about my friend, is it good?

- Oh, no! On the contrary.

- So, questioned Socrates, you want to tell me bad things about him and you're not even sure they're true? Maybe you can still pass the test of the third sieve, that of UTILITY. Is it useful that I know what you're going to tell me about this friend?

- No, really.

- So, concluded Socrates, what you were going to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor useful. Why, then, did you want to tell me this?

"Gossip is a bad thing. In the beginning it may seem enjoyable and fun, but in the end, it fills our hearts with bitterness and poisons us, too!"

- Pope Francis

Wisdom I received from a friend recently

How often have we killed someone by gossip, by character assignation, then discovered we ere wrong, and we did nothing about it? There is a large number of people who are seeking healing, forgiveness, because of what another said to or about them and it left them devastated. Often the harm is done by one for whom the victim had great respect.     There are many individuals who are walking dead; walking wounded, who are not able to work at their potential due to the mental, emotional wound inflicted upon them that is keeping them from doing so.                                                                                                        Hank Williams wrote: “A tongue can accuse and carry bad news, the seeds of distrust it will sow. But unless you’ve made no mistakes in your life, be careful of stones that you throw.”