You can’t rope me in
I’ll never kowtow to you
I hate you so much
Just cause you’re my boss
You know what boss is backwards
DOUBLE S-O-B
If only I got
The support that I deserved
I’d be the boss now
It’s so frustrating
Unable to control or
Shake my dependence
All the maxims fed
To me for all those long years
Now just ring hollow
The world’s your oyster
You can do it, just do it
Practice makes perfect
Just apply yourself
Work hard and you’ll earn rewards
All that stuff’s bull shit
Well I do work hard
I do try to create things
Shot down every time
What are my rewards
I’ll tell you what it is now
Out of my control
I still have a job
But I’m still told how to work
I’m not in control
My kids are now grown
With families of their own
I’m not in control
The politicians
Pass stupid legislation
I’m not in control
The temple collects
Money but not my wisdom
I’m not in control
Suddenly I hear
The doorbell ring, I answer
It’s granddaughter Paige
A surprise visit
Her dad, my son explains why
Paige’s all excited
The lesson today
Was about humility
I’ll let her tell you
Paige was just beaming
A smile covered her face but
A frown covered mine
Her wide smile muted
Grandpa do you know about
Humility? It’s
I interrupted
I’ve been humbled many times
My frown deepened more
My son looked at me
He held both of his hands up
Dad, don’t dismiss her
I looked back at him
Years of not being valued
Flashed in my mind’s eye
But my son was right
I love Paige with all my heart
I softened my face
She looked at me now
With hope spread across her face
I love you Grandpa
Our teacher told us
That humility is not
Just one single thing
He said it can be
From too much to not enough
I was astonished
Nine years old but wise
Tell me more Paige; please go on
She looked up and sighed
Grandpa, too little
Humility makes you a
Snotty nose person
You may think you know
Better than anyone else
But that is like wrong
To be humble means
To have humility means
Welcoming others
Paige do you mean like
Abraham welcoming the
Strangers to his tent
Yeah Grandpa, sorta
Like being unafraid of
Other’s opinions
Okay Paige, but can
I be too humble? Is that
Even possible?
Oh Grandpa you are
So smart! I almost forgot
About that, yes, yes
My teacher said that
Too much humility makes
You invisible
My brow wrinkled as
I just stared at Paige; her eyes
Looked sad but then bright
Grandpa Abraham
Opened his tent to strangers
He chose to do that
If he kept the tent
Closed he would have been
Like invisible
The strangers would not
Have a chance to meet him and
WE would not be here
I sat there for a
Few very long seconds; I
Didn’t know what to say
Thinking about my
Private outburst earlier
Feeling remorseful
Obsession over
My lack of control clouded
My mind blinding me
Paige’s lesson hit home
Is control so important
I looked at my son
Paige is right you know
I have been fearing my loss of
My independence
Paige if you are not
Snotty nosed or invisible
Then dear, what are you?
Grandpa then you have
Humility; you want the
Help from some others
Help from some others
Will make you do better but
You have to help too
Humility means
Everyone must do their best
Others and you too
I looked up at the
Ceiling like I was dreaming
They just looked at me
Is control a goal
Or can there be greater goals
How about value
If we are willing
To listen to open up
Our minds there’s value
It can be that both
Others and ourselves are right
It’s just perspective
To gain harmony
We must value the inputs
Of just everyone
To be humble is
To not marginalize and
Avoid snap judgments
To be humble is
To recognize that we all
Are valuable
I suddenly felt
A gentle touch on my hand
Paige looked in my eyes
Grandpa I love you
I smiled and looked at my son
He smiled back at me
I nodded grinning
I love you both; with that
Tears fell to my cheek
