The University of Findlay - April: Humility and Forgiveness

“Humility makes great men twice honorable.” -Benjamin Franklin

[Be] Humble

Too often, we see friendships and marriages dissolve over angry words. Resentments divide families and co-workers. Reputations are destroyed by malicious gossip.

In times like this we often think we are hopeless, but the virtuous qualities of both humility and forgiveness can resolve many of these issues. Humility or humbleness is the quality of being courteously respectful of others; it is never being arrogant, contemptuous, or rude. And the good news is that a little humility goes a long way. Humility acts as a bridge that helps us to overcome many of life’s obstacles by allowing us go more than halfway to meet the needs and demands of others.

Like humility, forgiveness also helps us overcome the intense, and sometimes relentless, feelings of bitterness and vengeance we feel when we are on the receiving end of hurtful words or actions. Forgiveness is a release from the burden of anger and pain. When you choose to forgive, you choose to live in the present instead of the past. Forgiveness is a gift to yourself, but it doesn't happen on its own; you must choose to forgive.

Practice humility and forgiveness by:

Being kind to someone that has upset you in the past.
Allowing someone to share a point of view different than yours and not passing judgment.
Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.
Choosing to let go of a grudge you have been holding on to.
Putting a situation in perspective and choosing to move on.
Putting on a smile and reserving all negative comments for one day.

“No really great man ever thought himself so.” -William Hazlitt

“He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.” -Martin Luther King

Campus Events

Annual Psychology Conference, April 6
Dr. Nansook Park and Dr. Christopher Peterson , both professors of psychology at the University of Michigan and national leaders in the Positive Psychology movement, will be speaking at the annual Psychology Conference beginning at 9 a.m., Wednesday, April 6 in Winebrenner Seminary.

In addition, Dr. Park and Dr. Peterson will present “What Makes Life Worth Living: Lessons from Positive Psychology” at 7 p.m. April 5 in Winebrenner Theological Seminary. This event is open to both the campus and community.

Paying Positive Forward
Throughout the month of April, the UF campus will be participating in a Paying Positive Forward event by completing genuine acts of kindness for others. When a good deed is conducted, a Paying Positive Forward card will be given to the recipient of the favor with the positive act recorded on the card. The recipient is then encouraged to pass the same card along to someone else by completing an act of kindness, continuing the cycle.

Students are encouraged to submit completed cards with 5 or more acts of kindness recorded can be submitted to the Shafer Library, AMU Information Center or posted online.

The community will be brought together to culminate the event. Local schools will join the campus community in an evening celebration at 7 p.m. on April 4 in the AMU North Multipurpose Room. Sarah Everly and the Campus Compact group are leading this event in addition to motivational speaker Bruce Bogjuski.

Senior Forum
Aimed at those 50 or older, the Senior Forum explores various topics with speakers from the campus and community. Beginning at noon on Wednesday, April 6, the forum, led by Doris Salis, will have four senior citizens sharing their personal stories of life events that helped them gain positive character strengths. The Power of Positive speakers include Maile Doyle, Gillian Holzhauser-Graber, Jim Rooney, and Phyllis Smith.

Staff Members Highlighted for Embracing Positive Qualities
As part of the Power of Positive campaign, every month a faculty or staff member from The University of Findlay will be highlighted for his or her positive qualities. Check back for this month's featured person!

UF Film Series
Adopting the Power of Positive virtues, the UF Film Series will show a movie based on the highlighted character strength of each month. There will be two feature films in April. Premiering April 12 will be Secondhand Lions. Bella will be featured on April 20. Both films will be shown at 7 p.m. in the AMU Endly Room.

Secondhand Lions: For young Walter, being stuck on his "crazy" uncle's farm is the last place on Earth he wants to spend the summer. First, shocked by their unconventional behavior, including ordering an African lion through the mail, Walter soon gets caught up in their mysterious past. The rumors that his uncles were bank robbers or maybe worse are hard to believe, but they do seem to have an endless supply of cash! Little by little, an amazing story comes to life filled with adventures in exotic lands involving kidnapped princesses, Arabian sheiks and lost treasure. These tales not only bring him closer to his uncles but also teach him what it means to believe in something...whether it's true or not.

Bella: Inspired by true events, Bella is a heartwarming story about friendship, family and our capacity for love in the face of the unexpected. An international soccer star, Jose, is on his way to sign a multi-million dollar contract when a series of events unfold that brings his career to an abrupt end. A beautiful waitress, Nina, struggling to make it in NYC, discovers something about herself that she’s unprepared for. In one irreversible moment, their lives are turned upside down…until a simple gesture of kindness brings them both together turning an ordinary day into an unforgettable experience.

UF Shafer Library Display
The UF Shafer Library is featuring a display of the positive virtue love/compassion. Don't miss the books, artwork and other items that represent this month's theme.

Community Events

The Courier Nominations for Humility/Forgiveness
Each month during the University of Findlay's Power of Positive: Celebrating Human Goodness campaign, The Courier will feature a person who embodies the virtue or character strength being highlighted that month.

To nominate someone for April that embodies humble or forgiving qualities, email family@thecourier.comwith the person's name, contact information and a brief description of why the person is deserving of the nominations. Information can also be faxed to 419-427-8480. Nominations should be made by the 15th of each month.