Smoke.

Imagine this.

You are in your own home... minding your own business...and all of a sudden there is a knock at the door....

Your neighbor is standing there.... horror on her face... telling you that she "smells smoke" and has reason to believe your house is on fire... she tells you to evacuate the premises and also informs you that she's called the police... AND... she's also contacted the other neighbors in the subdivision....to warn them... ya know... about the smoke she smells coming from YOUR house.

You freak out... you quickly gather your family... tell them the horrible news that's been shared with you... grab what you can... and you evacuate.

As you run out onto your own front lawn... you notice your "neighbors"... the concerned individuals who knew about your burning house even before you did... you watch as they stand across the street ... pointing fingers towards your home...with horrified looks on their faces...they took what your neighbor Sally said as truth and stood there waiting... for your world to go up in smoke. And as some do... these concerned neighbors wanted a front row seat.

You can hear whispers...They are wondering who started the fire, they are watching for flames... expecting your house to blow at any moment...

But here is the deal... you cross the street... you turn around and look back at the place you called home... and it's fine. You smell smoke too... but you quickly realize... it isn't your home going up in smoke...

It's Sally's.

The fire trucks arrive... realize they were given the wrong address and quickly locate the real source... they begin taking care of the REAL problem...

That neighbor who came banging on your door... Sally was her name I think... it was HER house that was going up in smoke... she was sooo busy peering into windows of houses that didn't belong to her... she forgot to focus on what was going on in her own ... and while she looked for fire elsewhere... her own home...

It blew up.

THAT my friends is the closest picture I can't paint for you of GOSSIP.

This has happened to me... so I'm sure it has happened to many of you... You've been involved in a story like this before... maybe it was your home the world was talking about...Except there was no fire.There were no flames. You were fine.

Maybe you were the "concerned neighbor" who heard the gossip and sat by watching it unfold whispering about it like everyone else.

Maybe you were "Sally"... and you started the whole thing...only to wish you never had...because you can't take it back now.

Regardless, I'm sure your experience was horrid. There is nothing worse than getting caught up in a rumor... only to find out... it wasn't true and your involvement hurt people.. and likely cost you significantly.

I've come to realize that those who yell fire... those who smell smoke first... do so because they themselves are in a burning house...

Lesson to be learned...

When you "smell smoke"... check your source...before you call the fire department... and share the news with every neighbor on the block... and for the love of God....

Lovelies.... make sure it's not your own home burning....

P.S. Instead of fanning the flames... do everything you can to put it out... because fire turns everything to ash... and when it does... nothing will ever be the same.