This Year I am Giving Myself the Gift of Humility

'Tis the season for gift-giving, running around shopping and trying to get the best deals. It struck me the other day that at this time of year we sometimes get so caught up in the "spirit" being rude to others, pushing and shoving and don't even get me started on traffic and how people are in such a hurry and rude. I think that we have forgotten to have humility.

I was on my pity potty about some stuff that has been going on and thinking how unfair it was, etc, etc, and being very annoyed with other people at the grocery store because they were taking so long.  When I left the store, I saw a young lady walking down the street with a smile on her face as she went along her way. What struck me was that she walked with a very obvious struggle with a bad leg, yet it didn't seem to slow her down. As I watched her, it made me think of my sister Jeanne. She is four years older than I am and has had to deal with several health issues over the years form the time she was very young. She lives with constant pain in her leg because of brittle bone disease and was pretty much fully grown before she was a teenager. She has overcome breast cancer, yet I've never seen her wallow in self-pity.

I remember when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, I was so upset and angry and demanded to know why. Why her? Her answer was so selfless, she simply said why not me? It hit me like a freight train that I was being self- important and that I felt that what I wanted was the most important thing and that I shouldn't be bothered by the many shoppers and traffic.

At that moment I realized that I am so very lucky. I have a great life. I'm in good health. I have a good job and I'm surrounded by friends and family that love me. I am trying to focus on being a better me and putting others first, even if it's just letting someone go first in line at the store or letting someone go first in traffic. It starts with the little things. Humility is the greatest gift I can give myself.