Gossip is good

I find myself longing for a daily person. A friend who wants to hear about my day. About the funny incidents of parenting. The cute pet mom moments. The victories and wins. The easy bits. And also the times when I just want to hide and cry. Someone who is keeping track of me and cares about what happens.

I also want to be that person for someone else.

I have a lot of friends, mostly other moms, and we’re on a weekly flow. Which is amazing. I am very fortunate to have such a rich community.

And, still. There’s something about the daily.

As I’ve been feeling this, it occurred to me that perhaps this has become the role of social media for some folks. The posting daily about our lives, and feeling seen in it. I’ve never been a daily poster. In the last week, I’ve been tempted though.

And, I haven’t because that still wouldn’t meet the underlying desire of the kind of intimacy that comes from daily proximity. Plus, I don’t want everyone to know the silly little things that happen.

What I want is a Gossip.

At one point, the word gossip meant a woman’s close female friends, especially the ones that attended childbirth. Gossips were the women you did all the things with, perhaps more important and close than a husband. I learned this from the podcast Witch on BBC, which if you haven’t listened to, you totally should. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001mc4p

I find etymology fascinating.

Gossip being a good thing to a thing with a lot of negative, mean connotations is another example of misogyny perverting something good and beautiful about women to strip away their power and connection.

So, I’m reclaiming gossip.

Gossip is good.

Gossip is how we stay connected. How we build relationships. How we make sure that those in our community have what they need and are treating each other well.

Maybe I’ll gossip here. Maybe I won’t.

But no matter what, I’m grateful for the women in my life who do care about me and check on me - in between all the demands of our crazy, busy lives. I know we’re all doing our best.

INVITATION

Check on a friend. Tell a friend how much you appreciate them. Send a random update to someone you miss.

DOUBLE DOG DARE - Boomer call someone just to chat.