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Pruning the Grapevine: Good vs Bad Gossip

Secrets

Some of my readers have been wondering if I’m ok because I’m posting less lately. I’ve been very well actually, and making new friends. The bad news is that I’ve found myself gossiping more than usual with this new found circle.

With every social group, it takes time to ascertain where the boundaries lie – what each person will and will not say or do. With my tried and tested friends, we know when our sharing of news is crossing over into hurtful gossip and we automatically stop and change the subject. With this new group, things are more fluid and the line has been crossed, often by myself, more often than I’d like. How do we prune the grapevine by cutting out the bad gossip and keeping the good?

“Good gossip is just what’s going on. Bad gossip is stuff that is salacious, mean, and bitchy; the kind most people really enjoy.”

- Liz Smith

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Posted by Daphne on | January 18, 2010 | 23 Comments

The Gift of Forgiveness

At Christmas time, we throng the shops to buy gifts for each other. If only we would storm heaven to find and give forgiveness instead, how different our lives and world would be.

While the pleasure of exchanging gifts is thrilling but short-lived, the freedom from forgiveness is quiet but everlasting. However, forgiveness is much harder to give than a physical item.

I am no saint and struggle with forgiveness as much as the next person. I still get angry over the silliest of things. Yet over the years I’ve learnt to forgive more quickly and more completely. Here’s what I’ve learnt about forgiveness from people far wiser and more loving than me.

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Posted by Daphne on | December 22, 2009 | 24 Comments

Can You Pack Your Life Into Two Suitcases?

IMGP2534Many people tell me they want to travel the world. I too have this romantic notion that one day I’ll just pack my bags and go live anywhere in the world I want to.

While I’m happy to stay put for at least the next few years, the practical effect of this idea is that I now have a simple way to narrow down life’s essentials. I ask the question – will this go into my two suitcases?

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Posted by Daphne on | November 18, 2009 | 35 Comments

Is 85 the New 65?

I’m honoured to have the opportunity to publish an article by Al Weatherhead, author of The Power Of Adversity and chairman and CEO of multi-million dollar company Weatherchem, a private manufacturer of plastic closures for food, spice, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products.

Al has survived arthritis, heart disease, depression, and alcoholism. At age 84, he is healthy and happily married, a proud father and grandfather, and a thoughtful philanthropist. In this article he shares his thoughts on maximising life.

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Posted by Daphne on | October 28, 2009 | 26 Comments

No More Crappy Days

bad dayIt’s been almost a month since I last posted, the result of technical problems with this site initially followed by inertia resulting from loss of blogging momentum. While away from this blog, I fully engaged in ‘real’ life and had a few pleasant revelations.

One particularly revealing incident was a young friend with growing pains asking me “So what do you do when you’re having a crappy day?”

I had to think really hard before replying “You know, I don’t know how to answer because I don’t have crappy days anymore.”

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Posted by Daphne on | October 17, 2009 | 32 Comments

What Makes A Good Relationship

Round four - Samba!!!To many people, a good relationship is one that makes you happy or that lasts a long time. We are quick to judge a relationship as failed when it is not as long-lived as we’d like, or if we weren’t happy in it.

Instead of judging and labelling our relationships, perhaps we should just accept them as they come. Yet being human, we want to understand our relationships, analyse them, and satisfy ourselves that they meant something.

If we insist on evaluating our relationships, then we could at least adopt a broader perspective. Even a brief, unhappy relationship could have a purpose in your life. Here are some alternative ways to judge the ‘goodness’ of a relationship.

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Posted by Daphne on | September 23, 2009 | 34 Comments
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