Faces of Pride
- Jerry Clark
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Pride wears many faces. It can glow warmly when we cheer for our family, school, or team, and it can sour into arrogance, a sense of “better than” that fractures relationships.
Yesterday, a friend confessed that at one point in his life, he “ran out of pride.” I love that thought. His childhood, shaped by a stern father, taught him that approval was scarce, and toughness was everything. Unaware of any other way, he carried that harshness into his parenting. His son felt the same distance he had endured, and only now, faced with the errors he’d passed on, does he work hard to rebuild a gentler bond with his son and grandchildren.
I saw a mirror in his story. Like him, I learned early to compare myself to others and to feel unworthy when I didn’t measure up. I polished my exterior, joining the Marines and graduating college, excelling at work and sports not just out of passion but to mask the dull ache inside. Superficial achievements drew applause but never touched the shy, insecure kid beneath.
It was exhausting keeping that mask in place. Those who knew only the surface saw confidence; those who looked closer saw a man who was often angry, emotionally immature, and afraid. I needed others to affirm a greatness I didn’t feel. And yet, whenever I stumbled, or became the butt of a joke, I could not laugh with them. Shame cut too deeply.
Today, I’ve reclaimed a truer kind of pride born of humility and authenticity. I can acknowledge my faults without self-condemnation, seeing each as an invitation to grow rather than a mark of shame. My confidence radiates from the inside out; nothing external can diminish it.
I’ve learned that true pride isn’t about looking good; it’s about being genuine and lifting others up so they can shine. I accept my past mistakes and use them to guide better choices for the future.
Do you seek to dazzle with your exterior, or nurture a quiet glow from within?
Watch for the blind spots.
👀 Discover how to uncover what you don’t know you don’t know with my book Blind Spots in Relationships, get it today, http://tinyurl.com/yc3usfsp
Comentários