Humility is defined as the quality of being modest and respectful, condition of being humble. Humble is defined as not proud, not pretentious, meek, modest, respectful. Humiliation is defined as degradation, disgraced, shame, to reduce to a lower position in one's own eyes or others. (per Merrian-Webster website)
Humility is first known to be used in the 14th century. It is about maintaining our pride about who we are, about our achievements, about our worth, without arrogance.Companies and businesses that thrive and grow have leaders that have humility, they don't boast about what they can do. They treat everyone with respect regardless of who they are or what their job title maybe. (per Mind Tools website)
Ways to practice humility: become silent when someone engages you in to a contest of perfection. Stop talking and allow the other person to be in the limelight. Some benefits from practicing humility are to be in a state of non-pretense, it improves relationships, reduces anxiety, encourages more openness, enhances one's self-confidence, and opens a window to a higher self. Humility as a virtue is a major theme in the Old and New Testaments. (per Mind Tools and Christian bible reference)
Humility per World Scripture (www.unification.net) is essential attitude for success in the spiritual world. Requires sincerity and honesty. From passages there are warnings against letting the praise of others or great learning or high position go to the head and the course of self-conceit.
Why is it then that many look at having humility, being humble as a bad thing? Nothing that I found supports that. Many famous people have quotes about or pertaining to humility. Some are: Albert Einstein - "A true genius admits that he/she knows nothing." Augustine of Hippo - "It was pride that changed angels into devils; It was humility that makes man as angels." C.S. Lewis - "True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less." Just to list a few.
Having humility, being humble are good things. When someone says you are a humble person that is a good thing. Although, I must admit there are times when it is hard to be humble, to show humility. We, in general, are extremely proud people. That is one reason why this principle is hard to practice most of the time.
Being in recovery, I have learned some of these things about humility and being humble. They are not defined as I always thought. Humiliation is a word that I felt most of my life. That people did not think I was good enough. Well, I very seldom feel humiliation these days. I can admit when I do not know "it all". Believe me when I say I do not want to know it all. For that will be the day that I am unteachable. That I am no longer humble, have no humility left. Remaining teachable is very important to me.
Though it has been said that I show my arrogance, I boast of things that I have done or been able to experience. And, well, I am sorry for those that feel this way. I am only trying to help others to recovery from their addiction as I am recovering from mine. I do not see the arrogance in admitting the truth and stopping all the lying. I have learned that humility is a good thing. Being humble is a good thing. I no longer feel humiliation even though folks have tried to humiliate me. No one can say or do anything to me that would humiliate me more than I did to myself in active addiction. Mind you there are things that I did not do, would not do, but if I should relapse, I am still eligible for those things to happen. So I remain humble.
Now, I did not become humble over night. Nope, it just wasn't that easy for me to practice this principle. As with a lot of things, I had to bump my head on the brick wall several times before I gave in to being humble, having humility. Today, I don't bump my head near as much. When I don't know, I say I don't know. Even though I have done good things in my recovery, I, in no way, shape, or form act arrogant about it. This blog is not intended for me to brag about what I have done. But I am not ashamed of my accomplishments since entering in to recovery. I simple try to share my experiences with life on life's terms for living today, in the hope that one person may be helped. That person can be in recovery, active addiction or someone that has a loved one in active addiction or recovery. You see those folks need help also. To try to understand this disease and a little bit about how an addict mind works.
You will not find a lot of addicts going public about their addiction or recovery. That is understandable as lot of them hold positions, jobs that would probably be threaten if they went public. But there are those of us that say "Yes, I know I am breaking my anonymity, but it is MINE to break no one else." These are my experiences though others like me may have also experienced the same thing. What we experience is important, but not nearly as important as to the way we made it through to the others side of that experience. As addicts, our thinking is out of whack. It gets mixed up and messed up very easyly. That is why we, as addicts, or I as an addict, need others like me, addictive behaviors, to talk to about how, what, where and why of things before I ever try those things out for myself.
So, if you feel that things I blog is my arrogance or self-pride, then I do apologize. In no way do I mean for this to come across as arrogance or boasting. All I am doing is giving back to others as help was so freely given to me. I ask nothing in return. I do not want other addicts to die. No one knows who or when or where they will be, what they maybe doing to hear that there is a better way of life after drugs. I would be doing a huge disservice to myself as well as anyone else not to share my experiences.
It is hard for me to understand those that say I am boasting and am arrogant in my blog. And the reason for that is that is how we all learn how to live, how to do, right from wrong. Our parents share with us. Our older brothers and sisters share with us. That is the way learning was meant to be, isn't it? One learning from another that had been there, done that. Is that not how the Bible teaches us how to serve God, by example? Sharing different stories of others so that we may learn what we need to do in life that is pleasing to God?
It has taken me a little bit to be able to post this entry. There has been some negativity from some and it has made it a little harder to post things. But after sharing with people that I respect and care about and that I know truly care about me, I have decided that I will continue with what I feel is God working in my life. Doing for me what I cannot do for myself. Years ago, I would have never been able to do this much less other things such as speak in front of a crowd, but God has taken hold of me and given me an ability that I feel should be shared so that someone knows that they too can do what I do. I hope that there is a spiritual feeling that is shared in these lines, words that I post. I can only pray that I am not the only one receiving a blessing in life, not from this blog, but from the love within this blog and all the post I have done. For each one has so much love in it that there were some that I had to do several post on just to get it all out there, the love for others, so that it could be seen and felt by the ones that it was meant for.
I love God. I love all of you and yes, today, I love myself. That is not a bad thing, it is good and it is what I needed to learned to do in order to recover.
Thank you all for your support and encouraging words about my life today. May God bless and keep you all close in His care.
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