Gossip, and how it affects everyone

I was out with a couple of friends when the subject of another friend came up.

"I haven't seen Sally in a while," the friend to my left says, "is she doing ok?"

Sally had recently confided in me things that I shared with no one. I knew the information given to me was of a sensitive nature and therefore, I, being a friend of hers that I want her to trust, considered how I would answer this question. I thought of saying, "I think she's just needing a break right now" or "She's probably been busy", as I didn't want to appear like I knew too much (as we all can't stand knowing that someone knows more information of another than you do, right?).

Before I could decide which answer was a better fit, the friend on my right (Mary) says loudly and confidently, "Honey, you don't want to know...."

The thoughts in my head came to a screeching halt as I look over at Mary. As far as I knew, Sally and Mary were not close. They knew each other, though. But I hardly believed Sally was sharing such sensitive information that she felt she could confide in me in, to someone she hardly knew.

That was when I asked, "Oh, did Sally tell you what was going on?"

"No," she answered, "But Sally is close to Jackie and Jackie told me."

I realized something that day. Something about Mary and Jackie that ultimately changed the person that I wanted to be.

I never wanted to be known as a busy body, or someone that people assume they can trust with sensitive matters, and go tell someone else about it. 

There's a reason why YOU are the person a friend turns to when they want to talk. It's because they feel they have a sense of comradery with YOU. That YOU are a soft place to land. That what YOU are being told, is safe within YOU.

There's a reason why they didn't tell your best friend Mary. There's a reason why they didn't tell any other person they may know. 

So why make someone's business someone else's? 

Watch as I talk a little more about gossip, how it affects you and those around you. And how you can avoid it and be the driving force to stop the spread of it.

*Names have been changed. Duh.