Protecting the good name of someone who hurt you
When someone hurts you, the first thing that comes out is telling people.
Someone has let you down, or you think they have, and it hurts. The first thing that comes out is telling it: to a friend, to the group, to anyone who'll listen. And every time you tell it, the story gets a little harder on the other person.
You can keep your distance if you need to. You can talk it over with someone who can help you understand it or sort it out. What you don't have is the right to destroy anyone's name, not even when you're hurt.
Besides, you often don't know the whole truth. What looks like betrayal today may have another explanation tomorrow. Protecting the other person's reputation in the meantime is a form of justice, and also of prudence.
Key idea
Even if something hurts you, you have no right to destroy anyone's name.
Your challenge for this idea
If today you are tempted to tell what someone did to you, keep quiet and talk about it only with someone who can help you.
BASED ON
Respect →