Years ago, when I was studying to be a nun, I wrote about being a little pebble as a spiritual analogy. It still works for me today, because the basis is the same: Keep yourself humble, and use your knowledge, no matter how large, to keep yourself small, so that others may use you (as your little pebble self) as traction while trying to rise up to whatever their goal is.
Let’s face it: We ALL want to be the shiny ones. The stand-outs. The ones who get noticed. It feels good to be noticed, but the fame is fleeting. What did Andy Warhol say about everyone getting their 15 minutes of fame? What happens when your time of being noticed is over? When your looks are gone-When you no longer have your voice- when illness changed you in a way that you can no longer express yourself in your past way of notoriety? Unfortunately, a lot of people just fade away, holding on to the memories of who they once were, or what they were once able to do. Meantime, there are so many others that need help to reach their dreams and goals- and those who have had their moments of glory could humble themselves, and become the pebbles of traction to let someone else climb…Do you get where I’m going with this?
Here is my rock analogy: People want to be the brightest, biggest, shiniest stones, that people will “ooh” and “Ahh” at- but those types of stones are too slippery for anyone to climb on. That means that those bright, shiny stones will be noticed and admired, but never move, because they are heavy and because they are slippery, no one can climb on them to reach their own higher place. The pebble, on the other hand, is small and if there are enough of them, can help others climb up, and help shift each other around so that they can even help themselves climb and reach goals.
Being “small” in personality and ego does not mean being a pushover, or a doormat for people to walk over- but rather it means that staying humble, kind and compassionate, can keep you “small” enough, and always be available to lift others up- and that’s what’s important.
We were all put here to help each other- never forget that. When others won’t help- you be the one who does. Always be kind, and always be willing to lift people up- your one little act of kindness could make a giant difference for someone else.
Jennifer Angarano Ricci is a wife, mother & creative soul-searcher. She is a musician, artist, and baker, and runs her home business Baked By Jen, in addition to running her local community theater group. She loves to sing, create and help others and tries to connect all three passions whenever possible.