When we were young a popular game was “Telephone”. We’d sit in a circle and one person would whisper a word or phrase into the ear of the person to his right. That person whispered into the ear of the next person and on and on until the last person in the circle heard the secret. They would then, out loud, say what they heard. Sound familiar? The announced word or phrase was always so far from what the first person said we’d all be uproarious with laughter. Silly, yes, but also a handy lesson to be used throughout life.
Last week a group of women decided to give food to a charity that feeds the needy. One woman in the group, who missed that meeting, heard the plan and volunteered to do the shopping. She can get food at a wholesale price, which would allow us to provide more food for the same amount of money, so we were delighted. She got the list from a woman who got the list from another woman and then she told her husband, who was to actually do the shopping. However, as in the game of “telephone” – nothing was the size or amount or even the items we ordered. At first we were stunned – then grateful – everything was edible, and then we laughed like children who had just heard the “secret word” butchered through repetitious whispering from ear to ear.
Next time, God Willing, we’ll know better.
