Why we need to remain humble
Have you ever had a moment when you were listening to your favorite tune and feeling like the king/queen of the world? It feels like you are on top of everything and that nothing and nobody could stop you. Music has this powerful effect of submerging us into states which feel almost ecstatic. As soon as that flush of good emotions washes out you are still left with what most of us have to deal with on a daily basis: real life.
As I was walking down the street the other day an image caught my eye: it was an old man, dressed in a casual elegant way, carrying a bag. What drew my eye onto him was the slowness of his movement. Yes, old people move slower. But stop: have you ever stopped and actually look at that and sit in silence with that reality? Have you ever stopped to think that someday that will be you?
As I looked at this part of reality a surge of thoughts ran through my mind: this man was once a productive individual for society, he had dreams, he had courage, he had the ambition to be right and he fought for his rank amongst his peers. He was once...And now it is so easy for the rest of the society to often look down at this type of humans: the elderly, forgetting that it is on the pillars of their work that we are now blessed with what we can put forward in the face of future generations.
The concept of humility striked my heart. We need to stay humble. I need to constantly remind myself that being right is not the ultimate goal. That me too one day I will move slowly thinking how decades of my life have hurriedly walked away from me. I think we need to stay humble because it is easy to think that we are the cherry on the top when we are in excellent health, financial blossoming and romantic bliss. Life seems to smile only to us and we can definetely get an ego boost and forget this very harsh simple truth: we are mere mortals. We do not have tomorrow promised. At any moment you can lose your important job and have no status to push in other’s people faces in order to get respect or even self-respect. I see around me and I have also noticed it in myself that we humans have this hard-to-work-with problem: when things go well for us we think we’re better and we forget to count our blessings and look with compassion towards the most unfortunate. You don’t know what cards life has given to the person in front of you. Your coping mechanisms is something that you can’t order from the Divine. I think that each day we should look at our life and be truly grateful for even a small breath: have it crossed your mind how many people are struggling to even breathe now as you are reading me? We take for granted a lot of things.
I believe that our human life should be a constant strive for self mastery. To watch your tongue and be careful what you speak is mastery. So many people offend or cast harsh words without thinking to the damage. What if the person you offended and wrote to nasty stuff is not waking up tomorrow and you are left with the bitter memory of the last words you ushered to them? What if you discover that you weren’t always right but you have no longer the possibility to repair what you have done wrong? What if all of your money with not buy the love that you have lost or cast aside because it did not feed your ego?
As the old man was walking I was thinking about how fast life happens to each of us. And how tempting it is to get lost in the petty things and ignore the essentials. People run towards the next good things while they forget to appreciate what’s under their nose. I do not know when my existence will cease on this earth but I sure know that I need a constant exercise of bringing my attention to what really matters on a daily basis and the foundation of this exercise needs to be humbleness and faith in the divine.
He could still be a productive member of society. Perhaps he's an author getting inspiration for his next book, or poem, or whatever, or maybe they're a photographer looking for the next print they'll throw into the gallery.
Perhaps they even might have their very own blog where they write about their walk in the woods and the woman in the blue coat that they saw.
I like your interpretation and the overall twist of the subject because of it. I saw this old man through the lens of our societal culture in a post communism era in an Eastern European country where unfortunately this is what happens with the majority of the elderly.
Your response is not only different mentally but also culturally which makes it even more interesting to ponder about.
It is a challenge to see a frail creature and to think that it can still withhold some form of power, isn't it? Now I think of all the examples that you have given and they all have a common theme: inner strenght. As in following a passion out of pure joy without needing it to produce something of palpable value in the world.
When you see an elderly person walking slowly in your country, what is your first thought?
I am probably not the type of person that has a typical approach to seeing an individual. I want to celebrate the achievements of those who have come before, as they may have built the very ground I walk upon. Not to the extent of reverence, but rather, a comfortable respect.
Stories have value, and those that have lived on the planet longer than I have plenty of those to tell us. Stories are where the value of humanity lies, beyond the machinery of capitalism, infrastructure, taxes, governments, and other stuff that everyday "makes the world go around."
I am much more interested in asking that person for some of their time, and knowing about their story. It enriches their day, and I might just learn something, too :)
Stories are powerful and yes they require questions and someone willing to answer honestly to them. Although how much words can actually transmit? I think that sometimes there is a lot said between the lines or behind what someone is not willing to share, even in old age.
How did you know? I've had my description or by line on Hive forever as...
Oh interesting!
Wowwwww, how great foggy Shots
!DIY
Thank you!
You have said it all.. humility plays an important role in our life. We can't remain young forever as far as this old system is here.
Yes we will grow old and someday a young person will wonder about us...or not
I like the questions asked in this paragraph. I think that anyone of us can put answers based on a perfect world scenarios. However, it might be a bit more relieving to have less expectations in general and accept that this could happen as a part of any day.
The pictures of the trees and fog are really cool!