Stepping Into Their Shoes

All my life I have always tried to see beyond. As an inquisitive person I always wanted to know the why and the how and the when and the where. But, curiosity as they say, killed the cat. Everyone in the world, no matter who they are or what they do value their privacy beyond anything else. But do any of us think or even pause to feel when we probe others? Do we think how we would feel if it was us in their place? I for one stopped prying and trying to find out what other people did. Logically speaking, research claims human beings, Homo sapiens sapiens, as that is what my generation is, differ from normal primates in the sense that we are not only curious but that we also try to find out the reason behind the occurrence of the event as well. But that's the whole of humanity. I mean, yeah the apple did fall and newton did discover gravity but I'm not so sure the normal human populace discovers groundbreaking theories or the law of unified field theory when they probe into things that do not concern them. I mean come on people. Give it a rest. Yes, you would like to know, but you don't need to. It's none of any one's business what goes on in someone else's life. What do malicious gossip mongering and rumours bring? Happiness? Yes to those who are doing it. I'm not so sure the victim feels the same way. Yes I say victim. I can understand that it is natural to want to gossip, even if I really don't understand why anyone would waste so much of energy which could be devoted to other things, like weeding the garden for example, but how bad is it to show some restraint huh? I, for one have been on both ends of the line and trust me now I hate both ends. I'm not much of a hater, au contraire I prefer to think of myself as a thinker. Of course I am a pessimist to the core and maybe just a tad bit narcissistic but then again aren't we all? Truthfully speaking, in the last couple of centuries vanity probably became the devil's favorite sin, seeing as how wars have been waged to appease one man's vanity. Millions of innocents murdered to make one man's ego stay intact. And it is this same vanity that makes gossip, creates rumours. What gives us a right to gossip? Or create rumours about people we hardly know? Simply put, who died and made you god? On the recieving end of such gossip I can recall all the emotions that Iwould have felt at that point. Embarassment, anger, irritation to name a few. In fact sometimes, some of the rumours were so ridiculous, that I felt I would go spare and on a sellotaping spree and tape everyone's mouth shut. But since I am a sane and normal person I did nothing of that sort. I swore a little, cussed some more and just resigned myself to the wait till the rumours would become old and boring and praying new ones did not crop up. Rumour mills not only embarass everyone but also cause people to carry preconceived notions about someone they never know. I have personally found meeting new people as a game. I like to gauge and see their reactions, emotions and mannerisms. Simply put I like meeting new people just to figure them out. So, if I already have an opinion set in my mind isn't it going to be difficult for me to think differently? Think of it as having a full teacup. Adding more to this will not help, it will only overflow. But if the cup is empty? Its easier to change your opinion too. You can never truly understand anyone. No matter how long you have known them. You can instead grasp some aspects about them. And then there are some people we can't read at all. Well, the point of this drivel has not been made yet. People, open your eyes. There is so much around you which you can control. Try not to make someone else's life miserable. Rumour mongering is not fun. Put yourself in the shoes of that person about whom you are gossiping. It's not a pleasant experience. Yes, one might feel that someone else is gossiping so they're entitled to it too. But we have to start somewhere. Become the better person. Learn to let go.