This is the first blog I have written since my month off. First, I must note that shortly before I wrote my last blog there were two mass shootings in Texas. Sadly, shortly before I wrote this blog there was another mass shooting in Texas. Three mass shootings in one state within 30 days. When will this be addressed? What more is there to say?
Now, focusing on my blog for today, I recently heard someone talk about the meaning of humility. For me, the word humility means being humble, and it has an aura of quaintness and evokes earlier, simpler times. There is also a quality of ‘churchiness’ about the word.
However, the talk gave me some new significant meanings for this word. I thank the speaker for some of these ideas. The origin of the word is illuminating. It comes from Latin, meaning low and ground. I found this at https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=humility, the word humility comes from the Latin humilis. One interpretation explains that it means “on the ground”, and originally it evolved from humus, meaning “earth”. We use humus today to mean a type of soil.
The connotation of being lowly makes sense. You can’t get much lower than being ‘on the ground.’ This fits with some of the contemporary ways we use the word today. For example, someone with humility is humble, unassuming, even subservient. We expect that they ask for little and expect little.
The word humility has significant connotations in religious contexts as well. In doing some research I found that in general to have humility describes someone’s submission to their deity. A person understands their relationship with their god and as well is neither full of pride nor is self-deprecating. There is a ‘right relation’ with one’s god and with oneself.
Here is the new meaning I learned. Going back to the early roots of the word, consider if we are literally of the soil, created from the stuff of the earth. Along with the opportunity of being well grounded (!), we are connected to the earth and all other living creatures also of the earth. Unpacking this further, this opens up a new awareness of our interconnectedness with everything on our planet. For me, this fits so well with the ideas of being aware of our place and connection with life and particularly with a mission of stewardship of our planet.