Grace and Humility Make Us Human

I’ve been very humbled by readers that have expressed their appreciation for the articles I post. It’s not easy to take the worst period in my life and dissect it in such a personal yet public way. Then wait for the court of public opinion.

Writing about my experience has come at the expense of having to face my own flaws. To see where I faltered. Admit where I failed.

Growing up in a family generationally afflicted with perfectionism, I am a perfectionist. In college, I had a well-argued paper that I once got a barely passing grade. I argued it all the way up to the Dean’s office, boldly telling him to assume my blank paper started with a perfect score.

“Where did I lose points to substantiate a barely passing grade?” I wanted to see the flaws and learn from them. I needed this feedback so the mistakes wouldn’t be repeated.

Behind his large mahogany desk, the Dean glared at me for a moment. “Assume your paper started at zero. Where did you earn points?”

I, of course, came armed with a list that I proceeded to regurgitate to him. Ultimately, my efforts were in vain, and the grade stuck. I eventually graduated magma cum laude. Instead of appreciating the cords I was awarded at graduation, I looked at the summa cum laude group with envy.

Fast forward to the present and that person that once looked on with envy has endured a tough lesson — it’s okay not to be perfect.

Each article I post has taken me a lot of time — and often, tears — to write. Revise. Edit. But the articles will never be perfect because I am human. I am flawed.

The response from readers like you who appreciate the content has been very humbling. I read past articles and see flaws in my writing. But the readers have taught me to look beyond the flaws and see the beauty.

Thank you for the grace you’ve shown. After all, grace and humility are what makes us human.