Is there ever a time, when calling someone you love a gossip is OK?” I was recently asked. The friend’s inquiry came after I solicited her opinion first when I inadvertently blurted out that g-word to describe a longtime friend. I should have said she was sweet, kind, and in-the-know instead.Our mutual friend always kept up with whatever was going on around town. While she liked to chit-chat about local events, it was not that she was insincere or judgmental.
I had no excuse. This longtime friend, a solid community member and active participant was known by most everyone. She liked to keep up with local news to make sure life was going well. Our friendship started years ago, when I first moved to Meeker. Her interest in me, my family, and how we were adjusting to life here was always genuine. She showed empathy to everyone she met and listened well. I considered her “the pulse of the community.”
Communication in the early days of settlement often relied on hearing the news of people’s lives from other residents. It was frequently the only way residents could hear the news at all. Their fortunes and misfortunes both ensured that their community could rally around them when needed. The old grapevine has aged poorly with the our increased reliance on social media. We would be wise to check our use of such dismissive words and refresh our vocabularies.
It feels so much better not to pass on any news at all.
By Dolly Viscardi