Humility

In a self-centered social order, we expect to see the selfish acts of others. Those that rush into a building’s entrance without concern for the person immediately behind them. Keeping a door open for the other is a common courtesy forgotten by so many. Perhaps it is just an act that some do not consider because they are so focused on themselves.

Acknowledging a stranger’s presence with a nod of the head or a quick smile, is easy to do but failed by many. Common courtesy while driving a car is another opportunity to be welcoming and courteous to others, strangers all.

Barging into a line at a store or service counter is just another example of selfishness. Is this a show of hubris – the lack of humility? I think it is.

The same is true for those who speed ten or twenty miles per hour faster than prevailing traffic flow. They appear suddenly passing your car and vanishing far ahead. They demonstrate little concern for the safety of others. They also seem unaware of how their actions startle others and raise the chance of causing an accident they unknowingly leave behind. On Christmas morning, we traveled 15 miles via toll road to spend the morning with my son’s family and our nuclear family members. To stay out of the way of others, we traveled at 70 miles per hour in a 60 mph speed zone. Believe me, we passed no one but they passed us. Suddenly, out of nowhere, came a car going 80+ and swooshing past us, immediately followed by another car. They seemed to be in a race or a high risk joy ride. No accident occurred, but the brain calculated what a high speed crash would be like and unavoidable.

Why must some people place themselves above others? What need do they feel?

Risky behavior is a symptom of something else. Lack of humility may be that something.

I know that I do not have all the answers to anything, let alone everything. I am confident that I have part of the answer to those things most of the time, but the answer is only complete through the action of others. Cooperation is only a small part of what I’m getting at here. No; the larger topic is collaboration, the need and willingness to work with others so our minds combine our powers of observation, ideas and creativity to bring about a better idea and solution to a problem.

Collaboration requires each team member to subjugate themselves to the team so the outcome is larger than any one person’s contribution. Each person matters in this scenario. More than that, they are needed for the whole to emerge successfully.

This is true in traffic, too. And the marketplace, mall or grocery store. Getting along with people is a gift; a necessary gift. Society needs this ingredient to succeed. And that is for everyone’s sake, not just mine or yours.

Humility is the knowledge that I am not the most important person in the room or on the roadway. I am but one person. I depend on others to live a whole life. My life contributes to the success of others as well in like manner.

In America in 2021 and 2022, it is difficult to be humble. Our society calls on us to think highly of ourselves so we will buy the super-sized product or fancier model car. Too bad those transactions rob us of the very characteristic that makes life worth living in the first place.

Happy New Year?

December 30, 2021

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Intimacy

As we mature, we become deeply involved in relationships. Some of this is basic family relations – siblings, parental – and the like. Next is friends who enter our homes and we theirs. Neighbors, classmates, mutual hobbyists and so forth. Then we develop friendships that go much deeper. We comfort one another when we are hurting physically or emotionally. We discuss the matters of life and learn much more about ourselves and each other. We can even anticipate how others will react to various situations and stimuli. Good friendships do not spread to everyone we know. No, good friendships are special, close and deeply personal. We focus attention and brainpower on these few friends. Some special relationships focus on specific topics of interest and importance. Yes, we have specialized friendships. Most common. But one day, we get to know one person very well. An emotional connection forms with deep roots. A need to know the person more fully expands in personal ways. We sense this b...
Read more

Bits & Pieces

Pie: Apple pie more specifically. With Thanksgiving just passed, many of us enjoyed a good apple pie. Sure, there was pumpkin to accompany the turkey, but in our family multiple pies are offered in the holidays. Apple is surely one. Pecan, pumpkin and others, too. But I almost always choose apple. When I was in college, I was asked what kind of pie did I eat most often. In front of my mom, I answered apple, because I was always looking for a pie as good as mom’s own. Of course my mother was pleased, but it was a true statement just the same. When I was married, Ann’s pie was darned good. Her mother’s recipe. But we fiddled with the recipe until it took on its own generational name, and boy, was it good! Today I still order apple pie for dessert because I am always looking for a great pie to challenge our family recipes. I rarely do find such a prize. Do others do the same? Do you search for a great pie of choice, continually? If you do, what’s your story? Why do you do this? ...
Read more

Remembering Tom Sherlock

Tom Sherlock died on Wednesday, April 3rd. He was 65 years old and did not survive a heart surgery. That was his unexpected end and sad enough. But there is more to his story. Tom joined Dan Schuyler and George Safford to create what became the Village Chronicles, a weekly newspaper serving Warrenville, Illinois. That paper expanded to serve Winfield and then West Chicago. The paper published for eight years and built a good reputation for itself. Tom served the paper in several ways. He was our information technology guru, provided hardware and software to support the paper's operations. He was our sole bookkeeper, accountant and financial manager. He designed our distribution process and provided office space for meetings and layout and typesetting. His efforts supported the work of 32 volunteers who wrote and reported on the communities we served.  The newspaper broke even financially most of the time, but it was a struggle. Tom managed to find money to keep the newspaper afloat...
Read more