It is a curious contradiction that we look so sharply at the flaw in our neighbor while turning a blind eye to it in our own glass. I have often seen a man scold another for puffing his chest or boasting of a catch he made, only to be heard telling a far more inflated tale of his own adventures the very next day. We are all guilty of this double standard, pretending to value modesty while secretly craving the attention that vanity brings.

Therefore, I ask you to examine your own heart without shame when you feel that itch to speak of yourself. Do not try to hide it under a cloak of humility if you cannot live up to it. Instead, thank Providence for this spark, for it may be the very engine that drives you to do good or invent something new. Let us laugh at our shared folly and then use it wisely.