'Feigned Humility'

When I introduce myself to callers in my office, I extend a firm handshake and say, 'Christianne, po'. Not that I do not want to be called, 'Ma'am'. My staff calls me that everyday, even after hours. Goodness my kids and our kasambahay call me 'Madame' when they talk about me behind my back (they don't know I eavesdrop). But 'Christianne, po' is my way of saying, 'hey, we are equals here and now, until we get down to business. then you can call me Ma'am', when it is called for.'

Humility is one virtue Lolo Panieng taught me. But his was the real deal. His life was dedicated to public service. He taught me that humility is not said, it is acted upon. And most importantly, it is not acted upon for others to say, '...awww she's so humble...', but for yourself: that you are sincerely acknowledging you are human, so that you can reach out, you can serve, the best way you can. All his life he was called by everyone, 'Tang Panieng' or 'Tatang', as his children did. He did not ask that he be called that, but he was the kind of man who was 101% a father first and foremost, before he was Mayor, Congressman, Director and Undersecretary. His behaviour, his demeanor, was that of a father, than a boss. But. When he was a boss at a certain point, one can still call him 'Tatang', but one must expect his dimples to disappear, and one is supposed to do something about those disappearing dimples, damn it. 

I think of  that today as there is this strain of feigned humility about. I say 'feigned' because, I see it as that. And I cannot help but roll my eyes and look at it as 'deliberate' and 'done with effort', too much of it that it borders on OA. I may be wrong, though. This cynicism in me at times go way above my head, that my reactions are 'antipatika' or, bordering, too, on OA. Yet I struggle with this: there are facts which need to be acknowledged, and that it is just proper that these facts are respected. Not twisted, not given the roundabout, not smirked at, well, just because one wants all the world to know that, one is down-to-earth, or humble, or human. In my experience, knowing one's place in this life, and recognizing & doing what that place handed to you necessitates, is the best way to go. But that's just me.