Have you ever played the game, especially when young, where a large group of people sit in a circle and someone whispers some statement in the first persons ear, then they are to whisper to the person to their right the same statement? The point of the game is each person is supposed to tell the secret to the next person, then the last person in the circle say's the statement out loud. The gist of it is that the last person never get's the statement correct. It's actually amazing how much the secret changes by the time it get's to the last person. The point of the game is to talk about rumors. What happened this week was a rumor. Wednesday morning I got a phone call from our best friend. They were very upset because they had heard that while in the hospital on Monday night for my fever, that I had a brain scan done and they found more cancer and gave me six months to live. And when I say upset I mean upset. I finally convinced them that there was nothing further from the truth. But as I hung up the phone I found myself upset they they were upset, and angry that someone would start that kind of rumor. (For those of you who don't know me very well, I am very protective of the people close to me.) I later spoke with a few other people who had heard the same thing. I had to stop myself from not trying to find out who started the rumor!
As I calmed down I began to think about rumors. I realized for the first time in a long time that rumors, whether started intentionally or not, and I don't think this one was, can be devastating to people. And believe me when I tell you cops are the worst. But it got me to asking questions. Why is it that our culture feeds so much on rumors? Why can't we learn to just keep our mouths shut when it doesn't concern us? Is it that we need to feel better about ourselves to see or hear others in pain or trouble? Is it a center of attention issue, where we want others to listen to us? I am not a shrink and I don't have the answers. All I can do is answer for myself. I know in the past when I have perpetuated a rumor, it was because I wanted to look others to look at me as someone in the "know". I wanted to appear smart and wise with my dissertations that usually came after sharing the rumor. I would cover the rumor with those dissertations to make others think I was doing it because I cared about the person who I was talking about and knew what was best for them. (Even though they weren't there to hear it!) I did find pleasure in others pain or trouble. I did enjoy the "juicy" rumors about others. I am guilty of all of it.
What this is teaching me is this, mind my own business. I have a friend who used to say, "if it is past the end of your nose, it is none of your business". He is right. It is helping me to see that what I say, whether true or not, can be detrimental to someone else. Rumors, true or not, can damage someone's life forever. I think it is why the scriptures talk about the power of the tounge and the necessity to keep control of it. I need to simply focus on my life and responsibilities. It is also helping me to look inward and find out what it is in me that feels the need to talk about others. I need to work on my own insecurities and character flaws. I need to be more compassionate about others in general whether I like them or not. I need to learn to be less selfish every day. I really need to learn to think before I speak. I need not focus on anything past the end of my nose, period.
No the rumor is not true. I had no scans and nothing new was found in my brain. We leave tomorrow to head back to Houston. I have a full battery of test's scheduled for Wednesday and we will know more on Thursday when we meet with the doctor. And please, if you hear any rumors about my condition, call us and find out if it's true. I don't want what happened to our friend to happen to anyone else.
Remember everyday to put one foot in front of the other, drink a lot of water, and don't forget to breath........................
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