A PIECE OF BREAD CALLED HUMILITY

I had always been alienated to the words humble and humility because I had been proud of myself, making it a mask to cover up my shortcomings.

Several experiences in the past slowly made me change that view of mine in life; one of them was during a short public ride in Mindanao. This memory has been in my mind since then and has always made me teary eyed every time I share the story with others:

I was on my way to the flower market one morning and since no cab was passing by that time, I decided to take a public utility jeepney going towards that destination. It was merely a short 5 minute ride but I never thought it will make me have one of the longest.

The vehicle I was riding had stop-over a traffic intersection. Incidentally another vehicle stopped by its side. Both vehicles, including the one I took, were spacious and almost had no passengers. My eyes went through to the other jeep and I saw a young boy, about 2 or 3 years in age riding with an older lady, the mother perhaps. They obviously looked less fortunate because of the clothes they were wearing and the skin complexion they had. The boy was holding a piece of bread, a simple one, no special shape, no shade of butter nor sugar for coating and definitely not one that had a filling.

He made two big bites on the bread during that short stop and I don’t know why my eyes seemed to have been like a magnet to the scene. I can clearly see in his eyes, not a superficial joy but an interior happiness as he opened his mouth and bit his bread. I can see him so contented and filled with the very small thing he had.

In that brief moment, I envied that boy because his childlike attitude made me feel that I should be like him, having to be happy and appreciative of what he had no matter how small it may be. In that brief moment I felt ashamed of myself because, there I was, sitting, still thinking of so many big things that I had neglected to look into the small things in my life that I should be thankful for.

That sight had been years ago, I had even forgotten the year and month, but the face and smile of that boy still makes me cry once in a while because he had taught me one of the most important things in this world that I had long lost track off – humility.

I thank Him for giving me that short ride.


My next Stop Over – “Bank Accounts of Blessings “