A Priceless Lesson On Humility--A

Sharon Titus

Felipe Morales—This I Believe 2008

In his essay “A Priceless Lesson On Humility”, Felipe Morales writes of his experience with a blind woman he met on the streets of D.C. who walked up to him asking for his help. Immediately, the author gave her all the change he had without speaking to her—until she smiled and said “I don’t want your money, I just need help finding the post office”. Morales’s story is one of humility, as he embarrassedly helped the lady to the nearest post office. In the face of the author’s misconception, he was forced to remember his own past-that he was once an immigrant who experienced many open acts of prejudice as he worked his way up in the world, from dishwasher to network engineer. Morales believes in humility, and the necessity of always keeping ones eyes and heart open.

I strongly agree with Morales, because he speaks with a lifetime of experience behind him, and writes about what truly defines humility: seeing oneself through the eyes of others and not being ashamed, but remaining quiet, and hearing prejudice, but not giving or believing it. Without humility, there would be so much prejudice that the world would be rent wit worldwide, and personal conflicts (well, at least more than there are now). Morales provides a reminder that without humility, there is nothing and nobody to be proud of.