a key to successful relationships…

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HUMILITY noun

(CAMBRIDGE DICTIONARY) the feeling or attitude that you have no special importance that makes you better than others; lack of pride

“Pride makes us artificial, humility makes us real.” —Thomas Merton

—Loyola Marymont University philosophy professor, Jason Baehr writes in “Humility and Strengths”

“… Minimally, a humble person is aware of, rather than oblivious to or in denial about, her limitations.

But such awareness is not sufficient for humility, for a person could be aware of but chronically irritated by or defensive about her limitations. As such, she would be less than humble. Accordingly, humility also involves accepting or “owning” one’s limitations.

…humility involves a fitting awareness and responsiveness, not just toward one’s limitations and weaknesses, but also toward one’s abilities and strengths.”

Humility is about knowing ourselves—our weaknesses, strengths and where there’s room for growth in our understanding of both.  The more I read, I think this trait may be the key to lasting relationships.  

Pride and arrogance don’t build a lot of trust in one another and in turn make forgiveness of our transgressions much more difficult.

Now, if that isn’t a thought worth pondering on this day of celebrating LOVE, what is?

Happy Valentine’s Day 2019!

SOURCE: https://www.rawstory.com/2019/02/trait-key-lasting-romance/

homesteading women…

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cellular residue

Do you possess some form of heartache, pride or even a sense of neutrality, depending on how things turned out for your ancestors?

While researching the stories of female homesteaders on the upper plains one dominant trait surfaced again and again.

Women are remarkably capable of creating something out of nothing.

Leaving all things familiar to take a chance on a new life for themselves and their families was an enormous sacrifice, requiring great courage. So often they were very young women, ages we still consider to be children by today’s standards.

It seems that perhaps we all possess some cellular residue from the migratory ventures of our ancestors. This courage is exhibited (and often maligned) every day, all over the world, as people are forced to leave their homes.

They’re not fleeing for the heady chance to “prove up” 160 free acres as the homesteaders did. They’re most often trying to stay alive and feed their children, a brave migratory gamble in hopes of a better life.