What exactly is nobility? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, it is someone or something that is noble possessing excellent qualities, superior ideals and high moral standards. For example, a noble person can be described as someone who makes decisions based on high moral principles and practices. Nobility is not about your wealth or appearance. Nobility we are talking is not about is your lineage or royalty in blood and its arrogance. It means simply the state or quality of being morally or spiritually good and in dignity.  It is something that sticks to your personality; it is the perfume, magnetism and spell that you cast over the people around you. We cannot pretend or create an external façade of nobility, it has to come within. There is an old saying “good deeds identify and recognize you than your personality”. It becomes part of your character and you are being recognized as a personality because of that nobility you have inbuilt in you. You are your own hero, your light must shine. Think Great, Be Great says author Akita. The nobility in life is becoming a rare thing in the busy world. In order to become a good person, one must be conditioned to love what is noble and hate what is ignoble.

Manifestation of nobility

Let us see in what all ways we can express our nobility.

  1. In India and many other parts of the world I have seen people praying when an ambulance is rushing past. It is your feeling for that unknown person who is now in a precarious and difficult situation in life facing danger, or life is hanging on a thin thread, so we pray. To be very frank with you, I never used to do anything of the sort for very long years. But today I strongly feel it is a right thing to do.
  2. Mother Theresa showed us the example of true care for the abandoned children and sick old people of Calcutta. We should also do our best to support orphanages etc.
  3. Alleviate the burdens of struggling families by buying books and dress for kids.
  4. Distribute toys, medicines in colonies where needy people live.
  5. If you are standing in a queue somewhere, give opportunity to old people to go first.
  6. Be courteous always -Hold the lift door open for old and physically handicapped people, kids.
  7. Avoid the ‘me first, me first’ feeling while driving. Overtake if you have to with care. Take note of the pedestrians crossing; never race your vehicle when you see pedestrians attempting to cross. Let other vehicles from side roads merge onto the traffic.
  8. If you see a nice garden in front of a house, or a lovely pet, have always some appreciation and admire.
  9. When you hear your neighboring boy has scored well in examination or has secured admission in a good college, give a small gift to encourage.
  10. If you find a colleague wearing a new dress is looking gorgeous do tell him/her that in a manner that won’t embarrass.
  11. Donate your good unused dresses, chappels etc. to those in shelter homes or care centers. If you receive a lot of gifts on a birthday or any other occasions try to re gift them to needy persons rather than allowing it to heap it up, unutilized.

Why people are remembered?

Out of all the presidents of America why we remember John F Kennedy most. We cherish his straight forwardness, caring approach and his nobility in behavior.

The things you do make a hallmark and leave your signature thereon. Your actions gestures etcetera are prime things in life; they make you what you are. Nobility is neither looks nor the size of your Audi car. Your speeches, social status etc are not of any significant impact. The things we tell personally and do will live in the minds of people for ever, even after we leave this world. We can make permanent monuments with our nobility so that people can remember. Think of Mother Theresa who is remembered for her astonishing nobility in her thoughts and her deeds.

One does not need to be famous, rich or highly educated to act in a noble manner. It comes natural to you wherever you are. No matter how small your sincere gestures may seem, each noble act sends rippling currents into the hearts of people. Remember what Richelle Goodrich says,Every sunrise is an invitation for us to arise and brighten someone’s day.”

Be on the look out

There are many people in your world who need a support and care. Do that silently as the Holy Bible would advise. Let the left hand not know what you do with your right hand. And never ever tell anyone what you did. And if we are going to say to that person “you would have been doomed but for me”, it is a sin. Never talk about the time and resources you spent on him and never do anything that would put him out of his glory.

A noble person always inspires confidence in and from others. He concentrates on deeds which would increase value in people and in situations. He focuses on the good of humanity and invests time in the lives of people. You won’t find him lethargic or withdrawn, he is essentially an extrovert.

 Bonus we get

When we do the noble acts we get plenty of happiness and these seeps into our life even without our knowledge. When we are noble in our deeds we get to experience that incessant joy. It adds to the value to our life and inner glory. Most of the time none may recognize your glorious deeds and there may be very little acknowledgement. Let this not dishearten you; the world is not full of blind people. There would definitely be people who appreciate the goodness in you. The more happiness you pour out into the world, the more will flow back to you is the Rule of this universe.

 “Your good thoughts, good ideas, and good deeds have a chance to live for a very long time.” says Debasish Mridha

Think Great: Be Great!

Gifty Akita, the well known author gives us hundreds of beautiful thoughts which can transform us and do wonders to our life. Here are a dozen of her thoughts.

  1. “The best recommendation letter is our lives. Everybody can read our actions and deeds.”
  2. “Every tree is known by its fruits. So a man is known for his deeds.”
  3. “We create a better world with beautiful deeds.”
  4. “Little with love is better than much without love.”
  5. “You can only do righteous acts and good deed by grace.”
  6. We must serve each other in love and in humanity.”
  7. “May we embrace one another with love, a smile and a warm hug?”
  8. “Do not say but show you care.”
  9. “We must encourage, support and comfort one another.”
  10. “Do all the good you can while you still have the opportunity.”
  11. “The mind is a magnetic field. When it attracts good thoughts, it will produce good deeds.”

Sense of justice

An important sign of nobility is the sense of justice and equality. A noble person would not like to become partial or parochial to extend any undue benefit to a handful of selected people. He or she would be impartial to the core.

The other qualities are Strength and Dignity in behavior, exuberance in confidence and a fun loving, light-hearted nature. He will possess the God given wisdom in doing right things at the right time. He would be active, welcoming interactions. You would find in him open to accept suggestions. He would deal with his opponents with calm.

In our hectic life, are we loosing?

In today’s ‘me first’ selfish world, we have almost lost our soft feelings for others and often forget to show the nobility which was once part of our culture. “We must account for the life that we lived. A person inevitably will ask himself or herself on the deathbed, ‘what was the aim of my life,’ ‘what did I accomplish,’ ‘what did I not accomplish’?” Kilroy Oldster asks us this very pertinent question. Let us do our best to bring in nobility in our armor.


About the Author

Jose Vazhuthanapilly, BSc., LLB, DBM, CAIIB Retired in 2008 as AGM from State Bank of India. He had worked as a visiting faculty in the Bank’s Staff Training Centers for 5 years. He is a writer with 20 books to his credit including books on self-help / psychology. He resides in Ernakulam, Kochi. He is active also in social service. He can be contacted at josevazhuthanapilly@gmail.com

Bestsellers

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  • EQ – Vyakti Jeevitham Mikavuttathakkam – Sophia Books, Calicut
  • Atma Viswasathinte Karuthu Nedam – Sophia Books, Calicut
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