(Host)
Commentator Martha Molnar reflects on the mostly forgotten virtues of
humility and respect, which continue to be part of everyday life in
Vermont.
(Molnar) With so many books and so little time, I
almost never read a book twice. But I am rereading "Reverence" by Paul
Woodruff because it changed the way I behave.
Reverence,
the author says, is awe for things greater than us, for things we don’t
fully comprehend, like life, death, nature, the human mind. Reverence
leads to respect – which goes beyond mere politeness. It’s a kind of
humility, and a desire for justice, and these hold together the fabric
of family, community, and society. But the opposite of reverence is not
irreverence, since protesting bad leadership, for example, serves a
positive purpose.
When I consider the world around me, I am
forced to conclude that reverence is mostly a forgotten virtue. But when
I consider Vermont, I see it thriving, quietly.
It shows in
people’s behavior, for example. It’s easy to act respectful toward those
we deem superior or important. We’ve all observed arrogant people
behave slavishly toward the powerful. But here, the truck driver and
retired CEO, the vegetable farmer and college professor all treat each
other as equals. People are not judged by their covers. This may be
because Vermonters don’t fit into covers, no matter how roomy or
oddly-shaped. So people are judged by who they are, not by how they
spend their working hours.
Reverence often declares itself
through silence. And in this, Vermonters truly excel. Conversations are
punctuated by silences, sometimes uncomfortably long ones for someone
like me, who’s used to rapid-fire exchanges. But I’ve learned that the
silences mean that someone’s actually thinking about what I said before
replying!
Vermont’s
landscape and climate also conspire to maintain humility. We live each
day in its physical beauty, dwarfed by the mountains and valleys and
open sky, helpless before its clouds of insects, ice storms and floods.
Despite the latest gadgets and advanced communication devices, we are
often forced to depend on our neighbors and respect their knowledge,
which is based not on advanced degrees but on common sense and
experience. We’re unlikely to look down on those upon whom we depend.
Now lest I be labeled an irritating Polyanna,
let me add that there are certain statewide habits that I find both
baffling and irritating. For example, I don’t understand why so many
people drive so far below the speed limit on perfectly dry roads. I
can’t see why they don’t pull over to let the rest of us move at what we
consider a normal speed. And finally – in my limited experience –
it often seems that the respect and lack of arrogance that permeates
encounters between individuals all too often turns to raised voices when
a group of citizens meet to discuss anything at all having to do with a
budget.
I sincerely hope that money won’t eventually corrupt our tiny enclave of civil community.