A Reflection on the Importance and Beauty of True Humility

Yesterday afternoon I was thrilled to attend the portrait unveiling for the Honorable Beverly B. Martin. Judge Martin was elevated to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals by President Obama. Prior to that, I appeared regularly before Judge Martin in United States District Court and it was an honor and a pleasure to do so. As I was headed up to the unveiling (which Judge Martin had requested to be very small and with limited ceremony), I was remarking to people how Judge Martin has always been one of my favorite judges. At the conclusion of the ceremony, I was reminded just why she is so special. Judge Beverly Martin is one of those rare individuals who is both very distinguished and also genuinely humble. Many of us are raised to be humble and not to boast to others about our accomplishments. Yet, few of us achieve true and genuine humility which is marked by wanting everyone to feel included, important and special at all times. Though Judge Martin now sits on a court which is only outranked by the United States Supreme Court, she spent her entire remarks trying to convey to others how much she owes them for her success and how much she really values their contributions to our profession. This presents the opportunity for me to remind each of you that as you find yourselves becoming more and more accomplished, do not ever let your excitement about your accomplishments ever inspire you to overshadow others as they seek to be included in conversations and gatherings. True and genuine humility is a thing of beauty. Just a thought. See you next week! Tasha