Sometimes you miss your childhood so much so  that you start recalling small games you played or things you did as a child. Do you remember playing the game “ Chinese Whispers”?

According to Colin dictionary, Chinese Whisper is  a game in which a message is passed on, in a whisper, by each of a number of people, so that the final version of the message is often radically changed from the original.

The game is to pass the message around amongst the number of people without it becoming misheard or altered along the way but as it is a game for fun, it does end up happening just the opposite  and in the end, what you hear may be completely amusing and humorous message in no way similar to what was originally passed.

We even as grown ups  indulge in chinese whispers intentionally or unconsciously in our daily lives . We whisper some messages to our near and dear ones and they end up in distorted stories rather than facts because in the chain they are spiced up for making them interesting. We forget what was the truth and believe what  seems  interesting to hear. Also sometimes we put our beliefs and character into the situation, we will talk how we are and project the other people accordingly. Whether it is office or home, Chinese Whispers prevail. Sometimes it is not what we hear but what we want to hear rules. But in childhood what was fun can have serious consequences when we grow up.

We always distort the message to suit ourselves – do you do that? Try to think, do we indulge in that intentionally?

The famous example of chinese whisper which I recall is – In the battle field , with noise around, the Major shouted to his junior to convey the  following message to High Command:

 “Bring reinforcements, we’re going to advance…” 

By the time it was passed around on the field telephone to the last person in the hierarchy  – the  General at High Command the message was completely changed and the General was utterly confused  when an officer  walked into his office and said: “Message from the Front, Sir.  Unusual it is.”

Can you imagine what became of the serious message at the end.

Well the officer continued – The message is “  we’re to bring three and four pence, we’re going to a dance.”

Only God would have saved them after this message.

Let’s not hear the whispers but the message which is whispered or passed to us. Do not add your own fillers  to it as it will become story – to keep it a fact either keep it to you if not required to be told to others or confirm once more from the teller if your version is what  you believe was. But first of all do enquire if it was passed to you as a confidante – if it was, Chinese whispers are not allowed further as you were the last person to hear it.

Keep Sparkling

©Rekha Dec, 2016