There was a time when the media was mainly about truth and information with a little exaggeration and inuindo on the side. The table has turned. There are more sources of gossip readily available than could have ever been imagined. You can get your trash from any number of “credible” sources. No one is safe and nothing is sacred. This medium, the internet, is the largest source of misinformation on the planet. Wikipedia is one of my favorite research sites but it allows its’ information to be changed by its’ patrons regardless of whether the information is factual or not. It is virtually impossible to know what is the truth.

My daughter is allergic to peanuts. She’s deathly allergic. We go into restaurants and have to ask about everything they serve because if Emily eats anything with peanut residue she will have to be rushed to the hospital. Peanuts are poison to Emily. Because of that we don’t keep peanuts in our house. We don’t keep peanuts in our cars. We don’t even eat anything with peanuts, well mostly.

You see, the other day I broke that rule. There were some peanuts in the office and I was hungry and Emily wasn’t around and so I ate a few. And then a few more. I ate quite a few. I didn’t think about it until I got home and had to brush my teeth. What if Emily comes in and grabs the wrong toothbrush? I brushed my teeth, threw the toothbrush in the trash, and made myself a promise; no more peanuts!! Why, because I love my daughter and I couldn’t live with myself if my stupid, self-indulgence put her in the hospital.

“The words of a fool start fights; do him a favor and gag him. Fools are undone by their big mouths; their souls are crushed by their words. Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?”

Don’t eat the poison!