From dictionary.com:
a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.
Currently, on my daily journey I use three books to help guide my course through the day. There is nothing special about these books, except that they mirror what I believe at this point in my life:
- Tao Te Ching (pronounced “Dow d jing”) Annotated & Explained, by Derik Lin
- Change your thoughts – Change your life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao – Dwayne Dyer
- Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life
The first two books are centered around the Tao, or “The way”. The third, having to do with questioning your stressful thoughts and challenging them, or checking them for veracity. As I said, nothing special about the books, they are merely references or guideposts in my journey. As part of my early morning ritual, I sit near the window, read a passage or two of the Tao, and watch the birds feed. For about 20 or 30 minutes, I sit in silence and just reflect on what I have just read. This morning’s passage (paraphrased):
Heaven and Earth last for ever
The reason Heaven and Earth can last forever
They do not exist for themselves
Therefore, they can last forever
Therefore the sages
Place themselves at the back, but end up in front
They are not concerned with their own well being, yet survive
Is this not because of their selflessness?
That is how they reach their own goals.
The Tao is filled with beautiful paradoxical sayings like these that cause me to think and make connections that I would otherwise not make, perhaps. So, after reading, I watched the birds and began to think about pride and its usefulness. The more that I read the Tao and take time to contemplate, the less pride I have. I feel it ebbing slowly. I don’t think that this means that I don’t care about myself, but it does mean that I don’t wish/need to be recognized for my efforts, I suppose. It’s new. I’m trying to get a handle on it. Humility feels more comfortable.
At the feeder, some of the birds come, take what they want, depart for a bit, then return. Other birds hang around until they get their fill. None judging the other about having prettier, more colorful feathers than the others, or being prideful and showing those feathers just to impress each other, except when trying to attract a mate. We, as humans, anthropomorphize them, giving them human traits like “Proud as an Eagle”. As far as I know, eagles have no pride and just exist doing what eagles do. Selfless.
So, what about functional pride? I just made that up. 
As this teaching idea is rolling around in my head, I think of what I call ‘functional pride’, or advertising to attract clients. Nothing wrong with advertising. It’s the way business is done, but, I don’t have any ‘credentials’ to place upon my placard. I don’t compete, neither do I sell much. I photograph because I love to experience the world and share. To teach, in my opinion, is the highest plateau of my learning.
So, how could I compete with those who have a long list of impressive accomplishments? I have no impressive list to show and am quite content with that. I love what I see, love to capture those moments, and only seek to share, not compete.
I’m sure that there is a niche out there for me somewhere and that I will find it when the time is right. It took me a long time to take my first workshop, nearly 25 years after I first picked up a camera. Perhaps all of this time, I had been waiting to cross paths with Craig Tanner, whose style, energy, and belief system seemed to align nearly perfectly with mine. He was the teacher that I needed at the time.
Perhaps there are some who are waiting to cross my path and I, theirs. In the mean time, I’ll just keep enjoying what I do and keeping pride at bay.
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7 Responses to “Is pride valuable?”
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The only thing I would disagree with in your observations about the birds is that the birds are selfless. I think they are driven by selfishness, well not really, but they are just focused on their own survival. They are motivated solely by the instinct to survive and really nothing more.
Interesting thoughts. Lovely photos of course.
Thank Laurie. I would ask, however, how can one be selfish without a concept of self? I think that it is quite easy to be selfless without a concept of self.
Yes, birds are driven truly by survival instincts, I suppose, but I wouldn’t call it selfish.
Man, Paul, the clarity you get out of that lens just blows me away!
As for “pride,” I suppose it’s like anything else, it all depends on its degree and whether it has moved from a normal range to a pathological range. Pride in a healthy sense is just feeling good about oneself and what one has done, as I do about quitting smoking. But at the same time I need to remain humble as in knowing I am but one slip away from being a 2 pk a day smoker again. BALANCE.
Good post Paul.
I wonder if animals think about the past, or the future; I think not. It’s only man who worries about the past, worries about the future, and lets the present slip away as though it never existed. We as a species cannot live in the present moment, and this is something which animals do; they aren’t concerned with abstract ideas, only what’s happening now. We could learn a lot from watching nature (as you do every morning) and forget dwelling on the past and worrying about what’s going to happen in the future. The future doesn’t exist, it’s like the horizon constantly receeding away from us as we rush towards it; all we have is now.
Excellent shot of the “Sharpie,” a constant secretive visitor to bird feeders. Last week I had the enjoying experience of watching one spend some time at our bird bath after it had caught and consumed a bird atop the roof of my neighbor’s house. Fascinating creatures!
I think you’re right, Paul, that the right students are waiting to cross your path. Perhaps your list of accomplishments will be not a list but the lives and work of those you mentor. I’ve learned already from your blog and your photos.
Rich experiences don’t have to be announced. I suspect you’ve had your share.
Oh, this goldfinch picture is priceless! I’m waiting for the day when one of my goldfinches pauses long enough on a stalk or flower for me to race for my camera. Feeder pics aren’t so exciting.
Well, from a business standpoint, you’ll compete with a highly competative rate until you have the numbers of testamonies to what a great experience your students had. As for the timing, I’m with you. You cannot rush success. It is a long journey of learning along the way and that takes time. It’s usually longer than we’d like it to have taken until we reach that point where we can look back and say, “Whew! I’m glad this all came together when it did.”