Have you ever wondered where the word "eavesdropper" originated? An "eavesdrop" refers to the ground on which water from the edge of a roof would drop. There were legal restrictions on how close one could put a building so that the eavesdrops did not damage another person's land. The word "eavesdropper" originated in the late 1400s as a person who stands in the eavesdrop of a building and listens in to the conversations going on within.
I am sure I am not alone when I say that I have listened in on other peoples' conversations. Most of the time, I get nothing but a few ounces of gossip by deliberately overhearing their words. Sometimes, I even hear things that might not be in my best interest or that are negative comments about me. I have to frequently remind myself that if it were important to me personally, the person would tell me directly. (Not that I don't like a little gossip!)
Let's put a little effort into remembering that not everything is for our ears. After all, you could overhear someone talking about throwing you a surprise party and that would just ruin the surprise! So drop the eaves-listening and start smelling the roses instead!
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