I remember reading a long time ago that once in everyone’s life we should all have a big slice of humble pie. Being an obnoxious and know it all teenager, that made no sense to me and brushed it off as your problem. Oh, if I only I could go back and talk to that guy and tell him being humbled is amazing when it comes at the right time.
For me, it was not too long ago and this story makes me laugh. Laugh because had it happened ten years ago, I would have been mad at the world. Now, I say, thank you Lord, because I certainly needed it.
Recently, I had gotten with a place to host an open-mic comedy night. I was going to promote on all my social media pages and do all the legwork and make it a banner night. For two weeks, I hit the social pages really hard and talked to everyone I could and got back a bunch of “we will see you there.”
So, the big night comes and I get to the place where we were holding the open-mic comedy night about two hours early and it takes me about fifteen minutes to set up. I make a few signs and grab and drink and get ready for a night full of laughs and more laughs and to enjoy the fruits of my labor.
Not a single person showed up. Not one.
The only thing coming in that night were excuses from a bunch of people who said they would be there. It was truly the perfect storm of humility and everything else that goes with it. When I realized that no one was going to come, I just sat down and started to laugh. And laugh. And laugh. Sometimes it is good to have that huge slice of humble pie for whatever reasons it may be. I thought that with my social media following that people would show up and it would be like Studio 54 back in the 70’s.
Not a single person showed up. Not one.
Again, the old Joe would have been stressed and depressed and lobbed a thousand questions above. This Joe just laughed and understood that humility and in this case, being absolutely humbled, is so good for the soul. Waiter, I will have that dessert and make it the biggest slice of humble pie you have.
Perspective. Free of charge and worth carrying around all the time.