harbinger of community gossip

I was getting my hair cut last week just prior to the four day holiday when the conversation got to local Seymour characteristics.
It's not uncommon for a barber shop, or more correctly called a salon, to be the harbinger of community gossip. Believe it or not, that’s one of the reasons many enjoy going there.
A patron was commenting on how upset a person was at them for an innocent event that took place months ago.
Another stated that Seymour citizens are known for eternally holding grudges.
The patron said that they were such good friends for so many years, then all of a sudden, the friend held a grudge that caused them to severe that friendship.
It seems senseless to hold grudges. After all, no one is perfect.
It was determined by the group that even if you have been hurt or embarrassed you need to get over it.
After much discussion it was resolved to be a complete waste of time, not to mention a detriment to one's health.
According to doctors and countless websites, holding grudges makes a person bitter. Most of the time, grudges are born out of anger and hurt. They are the negative feelings one carries even when the hurting incident or conversation is over. Grudges are not good for health because they infect the heart and pollute the mind. Further, they murder relationships.  They should be thrown into the dust bin, otherwise the grudge-holder's mind festers with feelings of martyrdom or revenge.
With all this rage inside of a person it naturally has to emanate in some fashion. Usually the venom is misdirected at an innocent individual that generates more damage.
So what’s the answer? It’s different for some but the way I’ve always handled situations where there was potential for me to get upset, I would talk to the person.
I wouldn’t jump all over them; I’d start by asking questions. Most of the time it’s just a simple misunderstanding and it’s cleared up right away.
The worst is when maybe I’ve been misunderstood and made someone angry at me and I’m not made aware of it. Now they hold a grudge and build angry and resentment.
The next thing that happens is they start spreading rumors and half truths.
Remember when 10 people were lined up and someone whispered something in the first person’s ear and that person whispered in the next person’s ear and so on until the last person heard the whisper. What the first person heard was completely different than what the last person heard after going thru the line.
Life is short, so why spoil it by holding grudges or passing rumors on? The way out is to control anger and the desire for revenge. As anger festering within, leads to harboring of grudges, anger should be curbed.
Just talk to the person directly and ask them questions. It will all work out.
As for me – I would like to invite anyone that feels they have been hurt by me to talk to me directly about any concerns you have.
Life is short. I just lost two good friends. You never know when your time is up.