June 1

HUMILITY MONTH: DAY 1: “Every person that you meet knows something you don’t; learn from them.” ― H. Jackson Brown Jr.

This has been a powerful learning experience for me. I have met some of the most amazing people in the world, but did not always recognize their amazing-ness at first sight. Some of them have been homeless and unwashed, others may have been mentally ill in ways that were uncomfortable for others, and many of them have done things we cannot tolerate in our social settings. Then I also have to acknowledge that these are the people I spend the bulk of my time with. Those who are shattered and broken and who have done some breaking themselves. Because they are seldom sought for their wisdom, it can be surprising to find out what they know. I just know that I cannot judge anyone by the way they look, the work they do, or any other aspect of their initial appearance in my life. So I don’t. My greatest lessons have come from those who have done harm to me in some fashion. I had to have those experiences on this journey and I thank them for the lessons and the teachings they brought to me. I did not always embrace their teachings or their presence in my life. Many of the best teachings have been shown to me much later; after the events and the teachers were gone from the experience and I did not always “get it” at the time. I must always remain mindful of paying attention and listening to those who come across my path, so I may sit with the things that are coming from each experience and each teacher. Those whom I have actively disliked, and many times the lessons they brought, have been instruments for great change in my life. Others whom I have deeply loved bring things to me that make my heart yearn for them now that they are gone. We all have these teachers; our biggest job is to take the lessons and to stop needing to repeat the experience. I want to sit mindfully with each person who comes into my daily life, so I can be present to the teachings. Our exchanges of energy are powerful and precious, so I never want to miss out on what they bring. As I look at Step 6 and Humility, I want to know that I can do nothing to acquire this trait, but I can do much to walk in it. Being on my knees is not the answer to achieving humility for me. Knowing that I am not the instrument, but the song, is. And knowing that though I may be the song, I do not know how to play it, nor can I. It is the accumulative effect of these people who are teaching me and the lessons I choose to find in what they bring to my life. It has taken many, many years for me to see the lessons in some cases, to find the gifts buried under the pain of the teachings and my resistance to understanding the gifts. We all have this…and we all have character defects that stem from our fear-based thinking. What a wonderful time I have had in learning from these teachers and walking through the world looking for others!