Humility and Spirituality

The soul has it’s courage, a gallantry of the spirit, which lifts up the heart, not found in all men, because it calls for magnanimity: its first affair is to speak well of an enemy, and to deal with him even better: it shines most brightly in moments most opportune for revenge, when, instead of ignoring them, it brings them into higher relief, by converting victory into an unexpected generosity.

                                            Baltasar Gracian 1647

     Humility is the key to spirituality. There will always be scandal in life and it’s easy to give a man an evil name, and it takes much to blot it out, but a man of strength in spirit and knowledge with good intent will always make a good exit, for he has nothing to fear in truth. Some of us bargain our way to happiness by using mind altering substances, taking the easy road to ease life’s calamities, but a spiritual man with courage takes his own liberties and through discernment identifies himself. He has no need for such foolishness because his higher power sustains him, and humility has its own reward. Through self-sacrifice, abandoning his pride, moral criticism, or even death, his spirituality in all adversity is his strength, and humility is the wine sop that quenches his thirst.

     Humility doesn’t cost anything, and you can’t go down to the local convenient-

store and find it on a shelf, it must be offered, and given freely. Coming closer to a higher power requires modesty; Bob Dylan said ‘your either busy being born or your busy dying,’ meaning, I believe, your higher power can keep you young at heart, guiding you through life’s adversities.  In any case, anxieties grow less in a man who knows himself, and rare judgment comes from a pledge of humble deeds, and there is no better companion in the struggle of life but a stout heart, so where the caption of the soul is missing, it’s no use to look for direction.