This and That – Norman Rockwell and Gossip.

I love me some Norman Rockwell paintings! They are as quintessentially American as Elvis, apple pie, and baseball. In 47 years with the Saturday Evening Post Magazine, he painted 323 Post covers.

One of my favorite covers is simply titled “Gossip.” On the canvas, he painted many people gossiping away on the phone. Ever done that? However, gossip is not something to take lightly. It can lead to mistrust for everyone involved. When gossip makes its rounds, lies are often interwoven into it, which can quickly ruin a person’s reputation.

A key element of relationships is confidentiality. Close friends disclose details about their intimate lives, children, secret insecurities, and past mistakes, expecting no one to ever find out. Yet gossiping about those things breaks this code of silence. Once the trust is lost and the confidentiality is broken, it’s difficult—perhaps impossible—to move that relationship, friendship, or marriage forward.

Want to sever a relationship, a friendship, or a marriage? Then run your mouth to others in whispered whispers over drinks and supper.

The gossip grapevine may be fun for a season, but rest assured, it will eventually wrap around your neck and choke you.

I’ll now step off my soapbox and step behind the parapet. ()

Big hug, y’all!

(Published August 14, 2024)