A Boy's Summer Blues

“Do you know it to be true? Do you know it to be good? Is it useful to anyone?” – Socrates

Have you ever heard terrible gossip about yourself and thought, “how dare they lie about me!”, and then turn around and do the exact same thing to someone else and not even make a connection? Well, for a young middle schooler named Johnny, his gossip behavior is going to make his summer vacation a one to remember!

Johnny would go out to see his grandpa Joe each weekend of the summer. It was a beautiful haven of woods to explore, ponds to swim in, and farm animals to chase! For Johnny there was nothing better than a fun day of running and playing capped off with great food and a chance to tell his stories; stories about other people that is. You see, Johnny wasn’t very kind to his friends and family when they weren’t around. After the first weekend Johnny’s grandfather came up with a master plan. You see Grandpa Joe was a bit old school, he didn’t talk trash, he kept his head down and worked hard and let his work do all the talking. If he did have something to say you better believe it was the truth, he said it as kindly as possible, and there was a lesson in it! Grandpa Joe decided that each weekend, if Johnny had a story, then he would have a story of his own to make up for Johnny’s father, about his behavior. “Well, you see son, Johnny was out throwing rocks at the ducks in the pond. I told him to stop but he just laughed and kept on.” This was just one of the stories Grandpa Joe was able to come up with, but it was enough for Johnny’s dad to take action.

Week after week, Johnny came out with new gossip about his friends and family and Grandpa Joe would be waiting for a story of his own for Johnny’s dad. After about a month at the dinner table the conversation started a bit differently. “Grandpa”, Johnny asked, “I have been getting in a lot of trouble this summer and I swear I am not doing anything! Would you talk to dad for me?” and without even a breath in between the gossip stories continued. You see, Grandpa Joe asked his son to not tell Johnny it was him fibbing on him, saying it would ruin their bond too much; or in this case blow his cover. Week after week, the boy was complaining about being in trouble followed by gossip story after gossip story, until one weekend when summer was about over, Johnny finally had no gossip to share. “What is the matter, Johnny?”, Grandpa Joe asked as Johnny sat silent eating his dinner. “I don’t have much to talk about, I have been grounded most of the month for things I didn’t even do!”, Grandpa Joe just smiled and cleared the table.

Later that night as the two sat next to the fireplace, Grandpa Joe looked up from his book, “Johnny, are you sure you haven’t done anything wrong this summer?”

With a frown that reached the floor he whined out, “No grandpa I promise!”.

Grandpa Joe continued, “Do you believe it to be unkind, your punishment?”, he asked as Johnny shook his head in agreement. “Have you learned anything from this experience?”.

Johnny sat puzzled, “How can I learn something if I didn’t do anything?”.

Grandpa Joe smiled, “Ah but you did, you see, I lied to your father about your behavior all summer. One lie for each night of gossip you decided to spill out about your friends.” Johnny just sat there with an angry face, “When you gossip there is no truth, no kindness and it helps no one. This time it not only didn’t help you, but it hurt you. Do you get the lesson now?” Draping his head over his knees he nods, “Yes grandpa, I should not gossip or make fun of people.”

When we fill our day talking about others, it spills into our own views of the world, causing negative emotions toward people and situations that wouldn’t be there had you not heard a specific story about that specific person or thing. Be careful what you allow into your conversations, because words can hurt your outlook on life and happiness.