-- An Underlining Humility –
John Herlihy
An underlining humility can be a source of pride,
A fundamental attitude of mind that travels wide.
Soft-spoken, gentle, confident, traits that work well,
More than any self-deprecating boasting ever to tell.
Echoes of false praises betray their limited scope,
While humility a mistress offering value to its hope.
Who wants to listen to false praises as very best,
The tedious voice of pride never put to the test.
We think self-praise to lend a sense of conviction,
But instead only lends a sour note of prediction.
False humility inflates pride with its sense of power,
A balloon soon to be broken in the crux of an hour.
Take pride in a fundamental humility to win the day,
Naked pride will always your true intentions betray.
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Copyright ©John Herlihy
Tuesday 29 November 2022
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I recall a master's seminar I had at Stanford in psychology. Research has proven that in small groups, the one who talked the most and the loudest was usually selected as the leader. But unless that leader had a hard-working, quiet and humble right hand person to make good his/her claims, they were doomed to fail. Over and over in my life, I have seen loudmouths and boasters take the lead. If they were kind and ethical, I've supported them. Otherwise, I waited until they were gone.
Ron
Your last line captures so much of the ailment of our world.