The Importance of Humility

When I was a freshman in high school, my English teacher started a discussion about the most valuable trait a person could have. My peers and I came up with opinions along the lines of being honest, kind, respectful, etc. Then my teacher offered a trait for us to discuss: humility. As a teenager, hearing the word humility made me think of the act of being humiliated. Why would being humiliated be considered a desirable trait?

Fulfilling his job description, Mr. Campbell schooled me on some vocabulary and a life lesson (arguably, the more important part in his job description). 

Humility (n). hyü-ˈmi-lə-tē, yü-\ : The quality or state of not thinking you are better than other people; the quality or state of being humble

I'm not claiming to make a profound observation here (I hope it's rather obvious), but it's been weighing heavy on my mind lately so I just need to vent. The lack of humility in the world today explains a vast majority of the world's problems, past and present: from world leaders fueled by corruption and greed, to conflict in the Middle East among the different sects of Islam, to bullying in schools, to political party banter, to petty social media arguments where everyone boasts in all caps as an unwavering sign of commitment to their ideology.

Granted, there are a lot of other factors that go into all these conflicts beyond people's lack of humility that have been ingrained in society over history and simply asking people to practice more humility at this point would be like sticking a standard band-aid on a severed artery. I don't think pride is all bad. It drives a lot of positivity and progression in society. However, humility requires a certain degree of sacrificing pride and opening the mind to foreign ideas. The only hope we really have is in the youth. If a new generation with renewed humility become the majority and see their forefather's enemies as potential allies, then maybe the world can start to mend.

I feel so small when I think about all of it, knowing that wishful thinking doesn't get me very far. I hate the mantras that there can be no good without evil, no light without dark and so on. I see the truth behind them. But it seems like we drag more of the evil and darkness into the future. Can't we leave a little of it in history as we move forward? We are supposed to learn from the past, after all, not repeat it. And as long as the dark is in the past, remembered and not forgotten, we can preserve more light for the future.

So there you have it...no blogging for two years and that's what came out. Here's to a future where people can act for the common good, where the world can find peace from remembering instability of the past, and where people can have healthy discussions face to face with humility.

Namaste.

Kins