Thoughts on Humility

My attention today is on the impending arrival of family at the cottage.  We have two grandchildren ages (almost) four and seven and their parents arriving later today.  There has been a flurry of activity primarily by Lorna but with my help getting the cottage and bunkie (my usual domain) ready for what will be a major shift in our routine.  Lots of high energy which has been pretty much absent from life here in recent years.  I await the arrival with baited breath and everything else that can be baited. 

My other thought this morning has been on humility.  My favourite definition of being humble is a simple one I came across many years ago.  It is, “to be truly humble is to see clearly.”  Quite simple and not simplistic but when I read it initially I did not quite see what the author was getting at.  How was being truly humble or humility seeing clearly?  What was It that was that the truly humble person was seeing clearly?

Well on reflection I began to see more clearly that what a truly humble person sees clearly is themselves; or more clearly what they see is themselves in relation to all of creation.  If anyone does that, no matter what they have been blessed with in life; talent or wealth or good looks or good fortune or ambition or energy, or what they have accomplished because of those gifts, they will be humble in the vastness and wonder of all that God has created.  They may give another name to the creator but they will realize that we are all a small part of an unimaginably great and finitely varied creation.

I came across another definition recently that expands on that original definition,” radical self awareness from a position of other-centeredness.  I believe this clarifies the idea in a way that is succinct and helpful.  The position of other-centeredness makes it clear that to be humble is to see where we belong in is relation to the world and all that is in it, people and nature in all is wonder and beauty. 

I believe that those who have made a true difference in the world are those that have had true humility.  They have been truly self-aware and were able to see their place in creation and have realized they are not the centre of the universe.  The ego naturally believes that it is the centre of the universe and strives to maintain that illusion.  The ego needs to develop a perspective from a position of other-centeredness i.e. its correct position is to serve God and not to try and have God serve the ego.  

   

I guess the connection between these two topics, grandchildren and humility, will be fully revealed as the visit unfolds.  I imagine that my ego will get the very clear example of begin other-centeredness for the next few days.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers.