Gossip, 1972

 Gossip.  Talking about someone behind their back.  Whispering.  Showing that you lack tact.  During the next few minutes, I'm going to tell you some stories.  Just as in the old Dragnet series, all stories are true.  The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
 Why do some people have a low self-image of themselves?  Why do other people seem not to care about anyone but themselves?
 It was Jim's second day of college.  He had already moved into the dorm and made some friends, but his social status wasn't the same as many of those new students.  In the cafeteria line that night, a boy and a girl were talking about this poor kid in school and they laughed about Jim.  The girl asked the boy what did Jim look like.  The boy said that this guy was short with a high-pitched voice.  The boy looked behind him in line and saw Jim, who had been listening to all of this from these two people.  Jim just smiled, and the two tact-less people laughed and walked away.  It hurt Jim and his self-image.
 Perhaps it's movie magazines or weekly tabloids that promote gossip, but we have made it a profession and a habit.
 Self-image can be destroyed many ways.  Gossip is one way.  An un-caring attitude is another.  Using artificial means, such as drugs or alcohol is still another way.  But many times, people use drugs because they need to escape from the uncaring or the gossipers.
 Tom wanted to be accepted into the social life of a local high school.  He tried to fit in, but the socialites had no room for him, so he turned to the local hippies, which were few, but for that time and considering the school--it was enough.  Because Tom had money, the hippies accepted him, but not really for himself.  Tom experimented with drugs to help him forget the social group and to become accepted more with his new "friends".  Soon, the hippies left the school and left Tom all alone.  He took more drugs to forget until one day he couldn't cope anymore and went into his garage at home and closed up all the ventilation and started up the car and died of carbon monoxide poisoning.  Tom died because no one cared about him.
 David--tried suicide twice, failed, lives one day to next.  No one cared.
 Ted--drugs--had to leave school because of drugs and school vandalism to pay for habit.
 George--no friends--no one caring about him.  Dead.
 God cares--can you?  Can you care enough to save a life?  Be aware of people's needs.  They might not tell you what's wrong, but if you're open to their feelings you will recognize the problem.