Here are two phrases (probably more) that help me.
"What other people say is none of my business."
You can't control what people say. We all know how juicy a tidbit of gossip is, as much as we resist it. Next week it will be something else. Live your life proud with love in your heart.
"When faced with gossip, tell the truth."
The surest way to kill a good story is to tell the simple truth. Just recently I was told some lurid details someone heard from someone who heard it from someone. The story contained my husband's name, his exact amount of weight loss and then the juicy details. I reacted. Oops. Now I'm just going to say "Thanks but no thanks. He is on his own journey."
"Where we were in our marriage, brought us to where we are now."
As easy as it is to blame your spouse, yourself, a paramour, a career.. etc etc. it's never just ONE thing that brings the marriage to where you are.
In some ways the one who drops the bomb is the one who got to the end of their rope, who finally shook things up to where you have to pay attention. Sometimes I think of all the energy that takes and look in awe.
Letting something precious erode takes no effort. Rebuidling does.
