January | 2013 | stepoutoftheboxdotcom

GRACE, WISDOM, AND HUMILITY

I end each of my posts with: Remember that no amount of money can purchase grace, wisdom, and humility. What do I mean by this and why do I feel it’s worth repeating? According to The American Heritage Dictionary, grace is the “seemingly effortless beauty of charm of movement, form, or proportion. A characteristic or quality pleasing for its charm or refinement.” Wisdom is the “understanding of what is true, right, or lasting. Common sense; sagacity; good judgment.” Humility is the “quality or condition of being humble; lack of pride; modesty. Being humble is to show a deferential respect; lacking high station; lowly, unpretentious.”

These qualities are not innate, although being born “nice” is innate. The cliché that children are taught to hate is true. Those who have acquired grace, wisdom, and humility have done so over time. There is no monetary remuneration involved.

So what does it matter? It matters in the sense of your perspective about the world or your small corner of it. It matters in thinking what could be accomplished with these qualities or what could be destroyed by their lacking. It matters as Americans try to recover and cope with all the mass shootings; a breakdown of government; and other world issues. It matters as we try to right the world and stop going up the down staircase (Up the Down Staircase, Bel Kaufman, 1965) as we progress into the year 2013. It matters because you can’t buy these qualities. It matters because these qualities are acquired over time. It matters for January, 2014. And most importantly, it matters that one believes that it matters above all else. So remember…

You Gave Him What?

If you gave the man in your life tools for a holiday gift, don’t bitch if you received a vacuum cleaner in return. He wouldn’t dare, you have always said! Let’s put this into perspective. Every man I have ever known has had the occasion to use tools. If he had his own, all for the better. If he had to borrow tools from a friend, all was not better for that friend, even if that friend only used a drill as a power screwdriver. Tools are personal, not to be shared. So then, wouldn’t tools be considered a nice gift for a man who does not have his own? Not necessarily. Tools are listed in the same category as a vacuum cleaner.

If you are the owner of a useless vacuum cleaner, then receiving a new one should be a good thing, right? Perhaps it might be during the dead days of February, AFTER Valentine’s Day, but not as a holiday gift (or birthday, anniversary, or the first day you met). Why not? A new vacuum cleaner will help you be better at what you do. Isn’t that a good thing, like receiving a new computer? A new computer we’ll take. It suggests that you are a creative and intelligent person who will do creative and intelligent tasks. A vacuum cleaner, on the other hand, suggests that you are good at cleaning or will become good at cleaning. Tools suggest that you will build, fix, or power screw things well. That’s a good thing, but again, maybe in late February – not for the holidays! Tools and vacuum cleaners are generic, meaning I can’t think of anything else to get you and I know you need this so I have convinced myself that this gift will make you happy, despite the snickering from the salespeople who did not receive the commission from my purchase.

“ARE YOU SURPRISED AND HAPPY?”

“Yes, thank you so much, honey, how did you know that’s what I needed, er, wanted?”

“Can you believe what he (she) gave me for the holidays?”

So folks, don’t go there. Put a little creativity into gift giving next year. There’s got to be more to your spouse than cleaning or fixing things. A computer is fine. Just save any other mechanical gifts for late February.

P.S. I have my own tools but would love it if someone gave me a power drill!

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Monthly Archives: January 2013

GRACE, WISDOM, AND HUMILITY

You Gave Him What?