Be the author of your own story

As they say, "the devil is in the details". Unfortunately, the details seem to be forgotten when people post titillating stories about others on the Internet. Apparently, even the news media may omit important facts when reporting on a story.

As humans, our natural inclination is to defend ourselves against such falsehoods or omissions. We tend to see these omissions as personal attacks; and many times they are. Lashing out against the original author of the post, whether it be a member of the media or the average Joe, may not necessarily be in your best interest.  In the contentious realm of the Internet, those taking a defensive stance are more likely to come across as "whiners" and "cry babies".

Launching a counterattack directly on the original author accomplishes nothing more than drawing additional attention to the falsehoods initially put forth. As hard as it may seem, the best course of action is to ignore the posts.  Write your own chapter.  Share your joys, your sorrows and, yes, your pain.  If others take offense to what you share, so be it.  If they are true friends, they will respect your right to express yourself and if they disagree, they are capable of doing so in a respectful manner.  Those that take what you post and twist it in such a way to benefit their own beliefs; while at the same time making you look like a fool (or worse), are truly not your friends and have no place in either your life - online and offline.

Don't allow others to write your story. Only you have the power to determine whether your story is found in the fiction or nonfiction section of life's library.