Humility: a difficult virtue

Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. We know of the fable of the proud oak tree that had to yield to the hurricane, while the humble reeds stood firm. Humility goes hand in hand with success when people take a step back and co-operate with one another. In the past, a student learnt by staying at his master’s place for many years, an act of deep humility. Being humble is not something one is born with, it is something one works on to build trust. Humility is not about assessing your weakness but it is when you recognize your strength. Strange as it may sound, it is one of the hardest traits to develop for most people.

 

Outward signs of humility

We show humility when we recognize our faults and admit that we are wrong. Rather than get disturbed when our faults are pointed at, we take them in our stride and work upon them. When we realize our faults, one tends to be more patient with others because he can empathise better with their struggles and challenges.
When we count our blessings for what we have with gratitude, listen intently to others without imposing our thoughts, we are considerate towards others and show humility. We gain more self-control and can cope better with life. Our approach to victory and defeat also gets much subdued. Neither do we look down upon the defeated nor clamour victory with pride.
The humble person asks for help and feedback from others when needed. Our sense of pride makes us believe we are always capable of solving our own problems. Humility, however, makes us ask for help when we need, with the understanding that collaboration can make us accomplish the task better.
Mother Teresa had summed the essence of humility so well when she said “if you are humble, nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. The key to humility is seeing life as a journey towards cultivating those qualities that bring out the best in ourselves and others.

 

Wreak a change with humility

In today’s competitive society, individuality is encouraged and humility is considered a vulnerable emotion. But, being humble in the right place and time is a powerful tool that makes you reveal your true power. This quality makes one leave a lasting positive impact and better relationships with others because they accept them for who they are.
Life has to be lived as a journey by cultivating those qualities that bring out the best in ourselves and others. Be patient when you have nothing and humble when you have everything.

 

Authors

The article has been contributed by the following teachers and students from Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Puthuppally, Kerala: Kavitha K and Romis k Roy (Teachers), Hari Govind A, Kesiya Anna Alex, Gadha Lakshmi and Amitha Anna Rethish (Students).