On Being Humble

Naturally, since this is about humility, I'm not going to go on and on about my own humility. Instead I'm going to get 'round the back way, and give you a story of humility that I was in the middle of, that's not to say the actual center...but I digress. There is no easy way to talk about humility, because once you become aware of the concept, your mind does a circus act trying to be humble without thinking it is, thus ruining the neat little house of cards you had set up.

I was at a bridal shower today, along with my daughter. It was the second one this season we had attended and at the first one someone took the ribbons and bows off the gifts and made that fancy little paper bridal bouquet that brides like to use for their rehearsals. If you've never heard of this, don't worry. I never used one for my wedding and I'm still legally married. Although there is that matter of the official copy that we never sent to the... oh, never mind!

So, since my daughter and I are really 'into weddings' (she makes custom garters, and  I am a wedding coordinator) I volunteered us to make that little do-hickey. We had seen one done, and I was pretty sure we could do it.

Someone brought us some tape and scissors, and the plastic plate with holes already pre-punched. We were in business. Well, we fussed around with loads of tissue, and became a bit uncertain as to our ability. Actually I was feeling a little like Jane Austen's Mrs. Bennet as I had been the loudest to tout our willingness and advance my daughter as a 'wedding specialist'.

Just then a woman from the party came up behind me and asked, "Would you like me to make some tissue paper roses for you?"

I think instead I heard, "Would you like me to do the creative crafter's equivalent of the Heimlich maneuver?"

Gratefully we told her, "Yes, please." She taught us how to make beautiful rosettes with tissue paper that transformed our feeble attempt into a true art form. Truthfully, it was my daughter who did all the work, while I sat by admiringly. Then she sat on the grass, hidden from anyone else, continuing to make paper flowers while we got all the accolades for having made a wondrous thing of beauty. I looked up, and she was gone.

That, my friend, is humility.