Humility: bowing low

I believe that the first test of a truly great man is his humility. I don't mean by humility, doubt of his power. But really great men have a curious feeling that the greatness is not of them, but through them. And they see something divine in every other man and are endlessly, foolishly, incredibly merciful. John Ruskin, English critic, essayist, & reformer (1819 - 1900)

What do you think of the above quote? Some observations:

• humility is tested; even the humility of great people is tested
• humility is not doubt
• humility challenges men to believe that greatness is not "of them" but "through them"
• humility opens one's eyes to behold others as they truly are while maintaining a severe mercy

A common story about the late President Ronald Reagan as he was recovering in the hospital after his assassination attempt. In her moving and affectionate account of the 40th president's life, "When Character Was King," Peggy Noonan says that when she really wants to convey what Reagan was like, she tells the "bathroom story."

It occurred in 1981, shortly after the assassination attempt. Reagan was still in the hospital and one night, feeling unwell, he got out of bed to go to the bathroom. "He slapped water on his face, and water slopped out of the sink," Noonan relates. "He got some paper towels and got down on the floor to clean it up. An aide came in and said: `Mr. President, what are you doing? We have people for that.' And Reagan said, oh, no, he was just cleaning up his mess, he didn't want a nurse to have to do it." (From the Modest Giant, Jeff Jacoby, June 10, 2004).

Do you remember my first post when I introduced "unlearning"? There was a picture of the Reagans walking hand-in-hand. The process of simplifying and enriching relationships was presented. Should we be surprised that simplifying, enriching lives and humility go together?

The word "humility" comes from a Latin word which means on the ground, or fertilizer, humus. It does not mean humiliation for that is a completely different idea, a distortion. Humility enriches life, causes growth.

Some young boys built a treehouse. During their first "club" meeting, they made three rules: no one act big, no one act small, everyone act medium. I love that wise counsel! So, in a childlike way, let's walk in humility. To do this, what must we unlearn?

~ Dean Boyer

Comments

[EM Sky]

I love this post. From the quote at the top (merciful, yes, and grateful too) to the Latin root and the childlike wisdom at the bottom.

I think to do this we have to unlearn humility as insecurity. As you so beautifully point out, these are not the same thing. Being humble does not mean being small. (If we were all humble in this way, think how great we would all be!)

I'm also reminded of a scene from "The Incredibles," in which the mother says something like, "Everyone is special," to which her son replies, "You mean no one is." I think we have to unlearn that--the idea that special is a comparison game.

True greatness may always come through us, from the same place, but each of us feels and expresses and lives that greatness in our own unique way. Each of us "owns" a different and unique aspect of the whole; we are each of us a living testament to one unique manifestation of that greatness. Therefore we have a joyful responsibility to live that greatness, both on our own and through each other.

And that's true humility. So we also have to unlearn the idea that greatness and humility are opposites. In fact, they are one and the same.

Namaste.

[Steve Sherlock]

Great post. Reminds me of the line Garrison Keillor uses in his Lake Wobegone stories: "Where all the men are strong, all the women are good looking and all the children are above average..."

When we remain humble, our heads will be able to fit though all doorways, especially those in tree houses and fun houses. All the good places we found as kids, that we should re-visit as adults.

[Dean Boyer]

Dear EM and Steve,

Wow! Thank you for your enriching insights on humility. I have a meeting this morning with my administrative team and will share some of your keen wisdom. Thank you for your gifts to start my day!

~ Dean