Humility

I believe that one of the most attractive and admirable qualities one can possess is that of humility, no matter how ‘accomplished’ they are believed to be.  There is no end point, no level of perfection, so why so adamantly try to believe or perceive ourselves to be as such?  I had at one time believed this was a common trait but over the years have learned of its rarity, the quality of humble introspection in pursuit of growth.  With every experience of discord, choosing to reflect on our role in its creation.  It is a golden ticket to sustainable admission in my world.  When we can be profoundly honest about our own faults, and not crippled by or in avoidance of them…when we can brush aside ego’s mask with honest enjoyment to reveal one’s own raw shortfalls…only then can we truly be in-touch with ourselves, evolve and better our life experience to the greatest potential.  This does not often come with ease or pleasure, it can be scary uncharted territory and entails vulnerability of facing embarrassment or pain, but so what…are not our greatest achievements and pleasures only after our brilliant bloom through intense struggle and awakening? Humility is not readily indoctrinated by society. Schools teach how to follow a system, how to get a job and suitable life, all external goals; but often and most unfortunately not how to hone and tune inner character, to brighten our own internal light. It is a shame that philosophy isn’t more prominently taught and explored in such formative foundational years, paving the pathways to internal confrontation as opposed to external competition. When we live solely for external achievements, this inevitably leads to perpetually living in unconscious boredom, as our spirit yearns to expand but without our awareness and action it can be locked inside a cage of empty unconsciousness. Social media perpetuates and rewards us to broadcast the filtered highlights of ourselves, to promote and present only what we want to be revealed. On the one hand this can be constructive for society, if used to bring focus to the good and happy side of things and promote the spread of further beauty and positivity; but this can be a slippery slope when it masks raw imperfections and authenticity, for they too are relatable, beautiful, and necessary.  We are a spirit, but we are also human, and so avoiding the imperfect frays of our unique human existence cloaks our being with foiled feathers and does not aid our flight or that of society everlasting.  Can we admire and promote our beauty and achievements, while also bravely revealing our quirks in honest play and pursuit of an authentic brightening of our character? Slaves not to the buffering of egos faulty sheen, but instead Queens and Kings building kingdoms with humility’s mirrored and golden gleam.

~Colleen Baxter