September 16, 2026 - Gossip

Good morning. My thought for today is Gossip. The Big Book tells me it is a polite form of murder by character assassination. In the Traditions Checklist, under the very first tradition it groups gossip with taking other members' inventories. If you, me, and another member are in the coffee shop after the meeting and you say "I haven't seen Charlie around lately." And I say "Charlie started that new job last week and he has to work on meeting night." That is gossip, but in a benign way. I am talking about Charlie when he is not there but it is not an attempt to make myself look good by dragging Charlie down and that's what the intent of malicious gossip is. There's a saying somewhere in our literature "Have I heard or spread any gossip today?" That's because listening to gossip is just as harmful as speaking gossip. as with most things, it is better if I just stick to minding my own business and let you worry about yours.