Hey there, my kids, nieces, nephews, grand-kids and adopted children!

Relative happiness is happiness that depends on things outside ourselves, such as affluence or social standing. While the happiness such things bring us is certainly real, it shatters easily when external conditions alter. Absolute happiness, on the other hand, is something we must find within. It means establishing a state of life in which we are never defeated by difficulties, and where just being alive is a source of great joy. – Daisaku Ikeda

Before beginning let me define the word ‘humility‘ first: Humility is when you don’t think you’re better or more important than other people. It’s about being modest and not showing off or bragging about yourself. Instead, you treat everyone with respect and kindness, no matter who they are. So, humility is like being down-to-earth and not thinking you’re the best at everything.

I want to talk to you about something that’s pretty important in life – building meaningful trust and friendships in our community based on humility. You see, it’s easy to say, “I appreciate and trust you,” but what really matters is whether those words come from deep within our hearts.

Now, I can’t speak for other people’s children, but I can definitely share some thoughts with my own – that’s you, my kids, grand-kids, nieces, nephews, and adopted children.

Honesty is a fundamental virtue, but let’s be real – there are times when it’s okay not to be completely honest, like when you’re trying to protect someone from harm. However, over time, our actions shape a kind of ‘jacket’ or ‘character’ that defines us in the eyes of those who know us best. This ‘character jacket’ reflects our values, morals, ethics, and, most importantly, our integrity.

How we interact with others, whether it’s with deep empathy or just a shallow exchange, reveals a lot about the kind of people we’re growing into. Actions like listening attentively and choosing the right moment to offer support are key.

As time goes on, people perceive us in different ways, but some things remain constant. Things like the sparkle in our eyes, our smiles (or lack thereof), our quick-witted responses (or lack thereof), and more.

Building trust isn’t just about gaining the trust of others; it’s about building a foundation for our own sense of self. It’s about how much we trust ourselves, how strongly we believe in our principles, and how deeply we care for others, without sensing we are better than others (humility). Ultimately, I believe that we’re here on this planet to help others. The path to self-improvement is paved with our efforts to make others happy, to help them become better versions of themselves, and to give them hope.

We become the sum of our continuous actions, flowing from our hearts. For some, this journey may not always be smooth, but over time, our relationships deepen as we consistently show our willingness to assist others in a truly caring way (humility) without viewing ourselves as better off or better than. This, my dear children, is how we become more complete and humble individuals.

So, I might be starting to ramble a bit, but the main point is this: to become a better person, one who is trusted by others, you need to understand your own character, integrity, morals, values, and ethics. And to truly grasp these qualities, you must focus on helping others find happiness, because in doing so, you fine-tune these qualities within yourself.

Humility doesn’t come from standing still; it comes from being a person of action, someone whose actions spring from the heart.

By helping other people become happy, we too become happy. . . . How can those suffering in the depths of hell, who have lost the will to live, get back on their feet? Merely thinking about our own problems often causes us to fall even deeper into despair. But, by offering a hand to someone who is also suffering, we ourselves regain the will to live. Taking action out of concern for others enables us to heal our own lives. – Daisaku Ikeda

Also learn more about challenging oneself and life’s lessons here… tick!

Feel Me!

With love,

Tito