By: Rev. Dan Haugh
I found myself on the “magic carpet” gliding ever so slowly up the beginner hill at Thunder Ridge Mountain in New York. Standing there surrounded by toddlers on skis feeling completely unsure of myself and my ability to make it down to stop before crashing into the protective barriers. How did I end up here, and why is instructor Tom eyeing me with apprehension? My answer was found in the presence of eight-year old boys standing next to me whom happened to be my sons. Let me explain.
I grew up in New Hampshire but never learned how to ski. I did however make one feeble and very unsuccessful attempt to learn when I was fifteen years old. A friend of our family offered to take me skiing one day. After showing me how to put on the equipment, I awkwardly got onto the chairlift and we ascended to the summit. Down the mountain I fell…over and over and over again covered with bruises and my pride scattered along the slopes with my skis. I promised myself to never go through that humiliation again, and was faithful to that vow….until my sons wanted to learn to ski.
One of my sons was very apprehensive and would only attempt to learn if his daddy accompanied him to the lesson. I had a big decision to make. It was love that ultimately lead me back up the slopes. For too long, I had allowed pride and fear to keep me in the lodges of life rather than the slopes. Yes, I was afraid of falling and getting hurt, but mostly I was afraid of the embarrassment of being humiliated and having to acknowledge my need for someone’s help. I needed an instructor, and my boys needed an example of humility.
So there I was on the bunny hill….. and down I went again! This time however, I was able to laugh at myself as I saw the fear and trepidation on my boys’ faces fade away. If their dad was able to fall, get back up to try again and have fun along the way, then so could they. Eventually, we all got the hang of it and could keep up with my wife, and since then the four of us have enjoyed some magical days traversing all sorts of trails and terrain together.
Catholic theologian Thomas Merton once wrote, “Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real.” In the slopes of life often we are too afraid or prideful to get on the bunny hill, and end up either stuck inside the lodge watching others or skiing alone. Today’s culture, especially in the metro NYC area, places safeguards all around that prohibit humility and vulnerability and instead prop up false images of perfectionism. Yet, there is a desperate need for true authenticity now more than ever. In a recent article entitled “Six predictions for the post-pandemic church”, author Peter W. Marty writes these words:
Thirst will increase for authentic community where moral formation and
relationships of meaning can prosper. In social isolation, we have learned
the truth of Frederick Buechner’s words: “You can survive on your own;
you can grow strong on your own; you can prevail on your own; but you
cannot become human on your own.”
I believe that genuine humility is the key to true authenticity and fellowship.
Humility is the catalyst to becoming human with and for others. During this pandemic we have realized how at our core we are all the same…humans trying to navigate the uncertainty and unpredictability of life. We have all felt afraid, weak, helpless and scared. We have fallen and we have failed. Yes it is scary, but we are not alone. During this pandemic, phrases such as “I know what that is like”, “I have been there”, or “I am going through the exact same thing as you”, have been sources of comfort and hope. I am reminded of the words that the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth; “That is why for Christ’s sake….I delight in weaknesses….. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” He was reflecting on the strength found in the person and presence of Christ as demonstrated throughout his life and exemplified to the fullest measure on that first Good Friday over two thousand years ago in Jerusalem. It was love that led Jesus to the place of crucifixion and, though brutally executed and disgraced publicly, his sacrificial act of love proved victorious over hatred, hostility and even death itself. Christ demonstrated what theologian, educator, and civil rights leader Howard Thurman believed “Humility cannot be humiliated”. May we experience a death to ego and pride and lean forward into humility. May we begin to experience and enjoy the twists and turns of life’s slopes with one another, and thus become more alive and more fully human.
