REALIZING ONE’S OWN SHORTCOMINGS

Realizing One’s Own Shortcomings ~ 307 ~ REALIZING ONE’S OWN SHORTCOMINGS He had reached old age and was still unmarried. When asked his reason for remaining a bachelor, he said that he had always been looking for a perfect spouse. “But in all this time, did you not find one?” he was asked. “Once I did,” he replied, “but unfortunately she was looking for a perfect spouse too, and I did not come up to the required standard.” Generally people are expert at detecting the faults of others. That is why they are unable to get on with anybody. If they were to seek out their own faults, instead of those of others, they would realize that they are in the same position as they find others to be in. Awareness of one’s own shortcomings makes for a spirit of humility in individuals and unity in society. If one sees only the faults of others, on the other hand, one will become arrogant, and perennially be at odds with one’s fellows. It is a fact of psychology that no single person can be an amalgam of all good qualities. Just as there