gossip doesn't deserve a capital g...

Oh my, did you hear about...

Since the premature death of Whitney Houston, there has been so much gossip going on concerning the details of her death and the behavior of everyone around her,  I decided to finish a blog I started a while back on the subject of "gossip". It seemed to me this was the perfect time. 

I think there is a large segment of the media that loves these kinds of tragedies, they are assured of a captive audience for many days past the initial incident. There is however in my opinion,  a fine line to be walked when covering these stories. Having been a fan of Whitney, I found myself tuning in more than what is normal for me. I was truly sickened by the sadness of her story, the once vital young woman who sang praises in the choir, thrilled millions with her amazing voice, rose to the pinnacle of the music field earning fame, fortune and untold numbers of fans, had succumbed to the pitfall of many musicians, singers and stars before her. Drugs, alcohol and death.

What is it about fame and fortune that destroys so many that it is bestowed upon? Is there an unseen flaw in the genius that delivers such talent? Is the pressure to remain on top too much to handle? It would seem that with beauty, talent, fame and fortune, one would be thrilled to get out of bed everyday and live their lives to the fullest! Why is it we see so many of them choose the dark recesses of addiction in one form or another? For us who struggle to keep afloat in this life and do everything we can to remain positive and looking forward to a better tomorrow, it's a hard reality to understand. But the truth is, money, fame, talent and beauty don't guarantee happiness, joy and a life free of trials. It also doesn't take away addiction, depression and other issues that plague us all. 

I wish there was someway they could understand how precious their lives are and how much most of their fans want to see them succeed. I wish they could understand how many people are truly encouraged, touched and blessed by the talents they share.  

I also wish, people weren't so happy to see someone fall. I wish people didn't like to say things like, "they had it coming" and "they deserved what they got"... I wish people would look deeper and try to understand that under the talent, and the polished exterior is a person who still deals with feelings of insecurity, with the fear of failing, and with the responsibility of providing income for so many around them. I wish people weren't so quick to gossip about the problems of others... 

I think it is okay to talk about it, even good. It's good for all of us to examine our society and our expectations of those in the public eye. For some reason we have the idea that if someone has fame and fortune they shouldn't have the problems the rest of us endure. But the reality of this life is we are all fragile, we are all in need of grace and mercy. We all need each other's strengths and encouragement. We all need kindness and words filled with love, truth and wisdom. None of us benefit from cruel, insensitive gossip. Words hurt, words devastate and  words cause deep wounds. I think of Whitney's daughter, Bobby Christina and wonder how much pain she must be feeling and how much it is compounded by the cruel and untrue words being said about her mom, her dad, her life and her family. 

Use your words wisely friends, refrain from gossip that tears down and brings pain. Instead use your words to build up, encourage, restore and heal. Spread words that bring joy to the lost, the sick and the brokenhearted...

"Gossip is a sort of smoke that comes from the dirty tobacco-pipes of those who diffuse it: it proves nothing but the bad taste of the smoker". George Eliot


 "Gossip is the opiate of the oppressed". Erica Jong


"Ah, well, the truth is always one thing, but in a way it's the other thing, the gossip, that counts. It shows where people's hearts lie". Paul Scott