A Smidgen of Pride

Geraniums.

Reading the Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ I find that pride is not an esteemed quality in a person. I also remember reading about how pride is a vice and not a virtue in the Buddhist tradition. While Wikipedia for example states both a positive and a negative connotation of pride. What to do about pride then? It has dawned on me the other day, that what we need is to see pride as a spice. Only a smidgen of it will do. What do you think about that?

I find it hard to be proud of myself, even a hint of it. I just do not feel any of it. I can well be proud about others, but never of my own accomplishments. Do you happen to have the same problem? A smidgen of pride of my books would help me alleviate the strong doubts preventing me from writing. And, oh boy, do I struggle with doubts. Even now, as we speak – write/read.

A mother or a father being proud of their child just a bit would in my opinion help the child build her or his self-esteem. While a lot of it might lead to hubris in the child and spoil her or him. I have noticed that our generation did not receive much praise from our parents. They were too afraid to spoil us. The generation starting to work these days is far more self-confident. Which might be good for them, but not so good for the work being done with not enough care and attention. The kids starting their careers these days are happy with their accomplishments perhaps a smidgen too quickly. So I have heard from employers.

Needless to say, too much pride of oneself leads to hubris, which is never good. Nobody likes a person bragging all the time. Yet, on the other hand, nobody likes a self-hating person putting oneself down all the time and expecting others to console her or him. Soothing others is a very energy-consuming occupation I find, don’t you? I guess, if we manage to find that smidgen of pride of ourselves in our hearts to enable us to function normally and perhaps a bit greater tinge of pride of others, we will have the winning combination.

Take care,

Helena Smole, author of:

– a fantasy novel with romance Vivvy and Izzy the Dwarf: A series about relationships

– Balancing the Beast, a book offering a bright view of schizoaffective disorder ˗ bipolar or manic-depressive type