
Probably the worst accusation my father could level at anyone was to be deemed a “phony.” And this from someone who almost always kept his criticisms to himself.
“Just make sure you’re alright,” he would repeatedly caution his four children, an obvious appeal to modesty and circumspection.
Foremost, he was a humble man. My mother frequently would urge him to take more credit for his achievements, which were many. She chalked up his reticence to a case of low self-esteem, though I personally never saw it that way. For me, he was just genuinely humble. Continue reading “Being Better than Others”