Humility, Joan Chittister, wrote is the willingness to trust ourselves to the universe, the people in our lives, the wisdom of others, and the winds that blow deep inside of me.

Humility calls to me to relinquish myself-centeredness to the universal will, to realize that I am attuned to one another and that others are as wise and caring as we are. If you believe in God, then you know that God has provided for you.

Lately, I’ve been seeing God and spirituality reflected in the flowers I am growing in the photos I take. There is something holy about this process, fueling the spirituality I am always seeking in my life.

Humility is not about being weak or quiet; it is, for me, about finding my voice and being strong. It is about learning to love who I am and who I want to be.

I don’t need anyone else’s dogma to do that; I need a bench, chair, sofa, and some quiet, and I can feel it and draw strength from it. Somehow, the flowers help.

If you don’t, as I don’t, believe in one God I must obey,  then there is the chance to define God as I wish, in a way that makes sense for me, that works for me. This is a wonderful opportunity at this point in my life, and I don’t want to mess it up.

I love defining God myself, as this idea shapes and fits into my life and beliefs. More and more, I am coming to define my God as the happiness, joy, and compassion that exists in my life and explains my soul and purpose.

This God is something I can obey, even worship, and allow to guide me. I just don’t need a beautiful church, synagogue, or mosque to take me there. I’m just too independent for that, too much of a loner. God is inside of me., with me all the time.

This idea of God is my underlying issue, the force that gives purpose and faith to me.

I am obedient to this force, everywhere I hear the call to listen and feel. What makes me human – the power to think, decide, comply, and defy- does not make me holy or spiritual. But I can surrender to them; the underlying issue is taking me there, and I am permitting it.

That is where the idea of humility is taking me.