The Right Way to Be Proud

Buttons popping off your chest when your child graduates. Smile gleaming and chest held high as you receive an award of recognition. Head bobbing and seat dancing to a song on the radio as you cruise in your shiny, new car. You are proud! But pride is listed as one of the 7 deadly sins in Christianity. Pride is “a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements”. (Oxford Dictionary) Wait, so I can’t be proud of my accomplishments?

My pride is not sinful if I remember that it is not my OWN doing only that got me to where I am right now. Yes, I put sweat, blood and tears into it but if it wasn’t for the support from the people around me, if it wasn’t for everything working out just as it did, if it wasn’t for God (or Source or Universe or whatever name you give to the Devine Intelligence), I wouldn’t be right here. If I can be mindful of how I truly got here, how blessed I am, if I have humble pride, then my pride is not a sin.