June 12

HUMILITY MONTH: DAY 12: “For the controlled modesty of a mind that admits limitations is more beautiful than the things I was anxious to know about.”― St. Augustine of Hippo

I always giggle when I read this name…what or where is Hippo? Never mind. I could look it up, but I like to imagine a saint with a pet hippo. Don’t care to know the real story here. I probably learned it once as a kid in school. Didn’t retain it, so my way is better, I think.

Isn’t it fun when you get to talk with someone new and they want to talk about life instead of themselves? I love that! Talking about things that matter. Not the job or the family, although I guess those are interesting topics for some. I am way more interested in finding out what someone’s best day was like. Or their favorite movies. Interests, not accomplishments.

Interests, for me, are what make people interesting. I know I am slogging through mud in a conversation when I ask someone what they enjoy doing if they have a spare 10 minutes, or a day, or 2 hours and they tell me they never have spare time. Uhoh!

How dreary. If all they have to talk about is current affairs, weather, their job, or other people, I know we are going to have a very short talk. I want to have imaginative and creative conversations about things that matter in the world. Have you ever seen a snowflake? A whale? A really amazing storm? Did you feel the electricity of the lightening and thunder? Do you like it? Where is your favorite place to sit and read a book?

If we do not look for these things in others, it is no wonder we are bored and boring. What do we dream about when we are awake? Money? Yawn! Where would you go if you have 5 days and all the expenses were paid? Who would you take with you? What would you do there? Isn’t that WAY more fun than listening to how much so-and-so hates their boss? Yeah, I think so too.