Pride Comes Before…
We have all heard the expression pride comes before a fall, but what does it really mean.
If you google it, you will see that it is an expression that originally came from the bible. The general sentiment is that if someone is too arrogant a mistake will happen that will have negative consequences.
You could view this as an example of duality; the sweet manifesting the sour. You cannot have one without the other, and the more you covert the sweet, the higher is the chance of the sour making an appearance.
Pride is something I have chosen to reject. Why? Because I read some words by the Dalai Lama several years ago which called out that being proud is not good for your soul. It can get in the way of you connection with other humans and the reality of life that is unfolding.
To be honest though, I never really understood this until talking about it last night…
Th Mountain Pathway
The Mountain Pathway is the name of this blog. It is a name making reference to the flow of our lives. Each and every human, being born at the foot of the mountain range, and throughout their life time making their own unique journey up to the summit of their choosing.
A mountain range is composed of many mountains of all different shapes and sizes. Together they make up the whole mountain range.
So, if you want to get to the centre and climb the highest peak, you will need to go up and down quite a bit just to get there and start your final ascent. Even while climbing a single peak, the path may be undulating providing you with a challenge.
Where is the fall?
In the analogy of the mountain pathway, the peaks represent the achievements and growth in your life, and the valleys represent the challenges and tough times. You need to go through the valleys to have time to recuperate and refine your skills ready for the next peak you wish to summit.
Scaling a peak is something we could choose to be proud of.
Pride does have an interesting effect though.
Picture in you mind a range of small mountains… you have climbed to the top of the first peak and your can see from it, two or three more peaks in the distance. The next peak does not look too far away, but you can see the valley dropping down away from you and the steep slope you will need to climb at the other side.
Just then, you notice a ski lift connecting the two peaks together. Wow, I could skip out that whole valley by catching a ride on that! Awesome.
As you approach you notice that the ski lift is unlike any that you have seen before… there are no seats. There are just poles hanging down from the line which you must grab hold of with one hand.
The peak is not that far away, but travelling there hanging by a single hand grip will be a challenge. One where you surely risk falling to the valley floor.
You may be able to skip out part of the valley, but you will have to deal with the consequences of the fall.
Such is Life
In life, we can choose to grab hold of our achievements with pride. If we do this, it is an act that keeps us rooted to something in our past in an attempt to avoid the undulations of the future.
Choosing to reject pride is choosing to accept both the sweet and sour of life. Accepting our achievements and our failures. Equally, with no attachment.
If the journey of our life did not have valleys and peaks it would be flat and uneventful.
Rejecting pride is accepting the beauty and variety of our lives, being grateful for our successes and the opportunities that life has given us to gain strength by overcoming the adversity of the valley.
Risk the fall or take on the training to scale the next higher peak, the choice is yours.
Enjoy, for now.
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