Archive Home Page Well let me explore this a little to see if I understand.
I guess of course it all depends on what emotional connotation you assign to the words humility and humble.:) Here is a few of the definitions from my trusty online dictionary.
>>humble adj. hu0bler, humblest.
1. Marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant
or prideful.
2. Showing deferential or submissive respect: a humble apology.
3. Low in rank, quality, or station; unpretentious or lowly: a humble cottage.
-humble tr.v. humbled, humbling, humbles.
1. To curtail or destroy the pride of; humiliate.
2. To cause to be meek or modest in spirit.
3. To give a lower condition or station to; abase.<<
In the history of the word (which often carries the roots of it's emotional connotations) you find a lot of references to the ground from the latin word "humus" or similar references to the word "dhghem" which means earth.
Not arrogant or prideful sounds like a good thing, however I personally wouldn't want to internalize some of the above connotations of the word humble...
Most interesting however it seems (and I'm just thinking aloud here) is that the roots of the word are grounded in the earth, so to speak, and that it's widespread use as a religious term (be humble before God for example) is suggestive of a more basic conflict. To be humble is to be more like the earth (feminine). In the very basic body/spirit conflict that seems to keep cropping up in this discussion I wonder if Mother Nature thinks that being of or like the earth is such a bad thing...
>>It is the humility that allows, permits, the view. This is itself one of truth's protective layers. The awe is in the humility.<<
or as Whitman put it (emphasis mine):
"Each of us inevitible,
Each of us limitless.
Each of us with his or her right UPON THE EARTH,
Each of us allow'd the eternal purports OF THE EARTH,
Each of us here as divinely as any is here."