Local news Words spoken in haste can wound deeply and can't be taken back By Sharon Hamric The letter arrived tear-streaked and crumpled. It looked as though it might have been wadded up, tossed in the trash and retrieved. The handwriting was shaky.
People are so willing to believe gossip without questioning the source.
The letter described a family misunderstanding years ago that led to permanent estrangement. The gossip snowballed as the first lie became the root of another untruth. The writer followed up her letter with a phone call. This caller emphasized that she was no victim, no lost soul adrift. She and her family had recovered from the wound of gossip to lead fruitful lives.