WJJ and I love to watch Jeopardy. Watching that show keeps me very humble.
Sometimes I’m really good + most times I’m adequate at best. But WJJ and I love to watch the show, answer the questions and often times, we will comment on the contestants.
Most often we make harmless remarks like, “She might be smart, but she sure isn’t savvy”. Or “Someone should tell him to get a haircut.” These contestants are perfect strangers and it’s just Walter and I making small talk.
Several weeks ago, Jeopardy had a contestant who just kept winning. Obviously, she was incredibly intelligent, but it seemed to end there. I commented that she had an awful haircut, didn’t smile and seemed to have no personality. She won six consecutive games and over $100,000. When she finally lost, I said that perhaps she could take the Dale Carnegie Course “How to Win Friends and Influence People” and then a makeover.
Shortly thereafter, Jamie (our son) asked if I had heard about the Jeopardy Champion who had died before her episodes aired. I hadn’t. Well in fact the contestant who died was Cindy Stowell –the very same contestant who I had chastised for her appearance. Cindy did not have a sudden horrible accident. No, Cindy died of cancer some three weeks before her episodes aired. In fact, when she appeared on the show, she and only a handful of staffers including Alex Trebek even knew she was sick.
Her lifetime dream was to compete on Jeopardy. So with Stage 4 cancer she went through the preliminaries, the in-person test and of course competed and won. Cindy Stowell donated all her winnings to cancer research. Fortunately, Jeopardy sent her the episodes beforehand so she and her family could watch before it was aired and before she died.
So why am I sharing all this? That’s simple. When I found out about Ms. Stowell, I felt horrible. I had made snarky comments about this dying woman. It doesn’t matter whether or not I knew in advance. It doesn’t matter that I was home and only talking to WJJ. What does matter is “nasty” is still “nasty”.
I said several prayers and asked forgiveness –from both God and Ms Stowell. And further I have decided that whether it’s a Kardashian’s bum or a bad facelift, or a non-smiling person—no more negative comments from this woman.
You know, just when you think you learned your lessons, God in his infinite wisdom teaches you a few more. I just have to keep remembering what my Mother said, “If you don’t have something good to say then say nothing at all.
#jeopardy #lesson #kardashian
So well presented. How true those words are. Also I can’t believe there’s not a woman out there who hasn’t done and said things they wished they could take back or better yet never said in the first place. What makes you rise above is the acknowledgement of your actions and asking for forgiveness. We have a loving God who has already forgiven you and all of us for our sins daily. Don’t beat yourself up! Your one awesome lady! It took grit to share that story! Your the best. ❌⭕❤️