Backbiting/Gossip

[Guest guest]

The very best illustration I have ever heard about what this does was done in the movie Doubt.It goes like this.A woman goes to confession to her parish priest."Father, forgive me for I have sinned," she starts. "It has been a week since my last confession."The priest replies to the beginning of the ritual in usual fashion, "Yes, my daughter? You may confess your sin and have absolution."She goes on to tell the priest of her gossiping about another. How she felt bad about it but could not seem to break the habit of gossip.He replies,"Here is what you must do to gain absolution. Go home. Get a

feather pillow and cut it open. Take the pillow outside into the wind. Empty all the contents. Then you must pick up every feather without fail. You may not miss even one."In the movie it shows the feathers blowing in every direction by what seemed to be the hundreds or more.She is shocked! "Father, there is no way to pick up every feather! No one could complete that task!"The priest replies,"Exactly, my child! This is what happens to gossip. Gossip(the feathers) is told about some one. The story goes everywhere. Even if one regrets telling it and goes to all the places where the story went, there is no way to pick up all the parts of it because they cannot be found." I always think of the feathers now..and try to make sure they are kept inside the pillow and not thrown to the

wind.Bright Blessings!Kris In Meditation, I wait; In Affirmation, I stand; In Gratitude I walk, in Joy I fly.Please join me in making a difference. Think before you print.