Genesis of humility

“Humility is the mother of all virtues. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent. If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.” said Mother Teresa.
Our life is like a roller coaster ride. It often takes unexpected turns and diversions, rendering it unpredictable. Thus what assumes greatest importance is NOW- the present moment, which must be lived with happiness and positivity. This happiness must be achieved physically, mentally and spiritually. What mostly contributes to staying happy and peaceful is humility. To show humility in a world of flux is a difficult proposition.  The greatest heroes of the world who have remained pillars of strength have been epitomes of humility, a towering example being India’s former President A P J Abdul Kalam-an extremely confident and intelligent person who accomplished his dreams with absolute humility.

Humility- what it does to you

Captivated by the virtual world and enticed by the media, people have no time to spend with themselves or even with their families. Their vision and perspectives remain constricted. Humility makes us improve our standard of life. Sir Nelson Mandela once said, “If you are humble, if you make people realize that you are no threat to them, then people will embrace you”. It is, however, difficult to embrace humility, especially in a society that encourages competition and individuality. In a world that seems to reward those who shout the loudest, humility can feel like an outdated virtue.

Actions, and not words speak for those who are humble. Studies have shown that humble people are more likely to be helpful than the proud. Since they put others’ needs before their own, when faced with difficult decisions they respect the moral and ethical boundaries that govern the decision and base their decision-making criteria off a sense of shared purpose rather than self-interest. While active listening is certainly important, humble people aren’t afraid to speak their minds because they are not afraid of being wrong. Mistakes are not a deterrent to happiness in life.The key to humility is seeing life as a journey towards cultivating those qualities that bring out the best in ourselves and others and make this world a better place. To be humble is, not to think less of oneself, but to think of oneself less.

 

Humility in a difficult world

In a world where people are obsessed with self and have inflated egos, it is the quality of humility that stands out. Fostering satisfaction and forgiveness, humility opens the door to healthier relationships. One becomes aware of how little he knows and the endless possibilities of learning that lies ahead. This is the thought motivates him to proceed further, not pride. Humility makes us come in terms with our human frailties and makes us accept our own mistakes. We accept criticism and learn from it without getting ourselves adversely affected.

 

 

Authors

The article has been contributed by the following teachers and students from Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Puthuppally: Jismy George and Chinnamma P I (teachers), Marinues Mathew, Feba Christeen Sam, Swathi Menon and Aardhra Mary Basil (students).