Humility goes a long way in this world.
When legendary soccer player Diego Armando Maradona died, Argentina (his home country) declared three days of national mourning. The world grieved, too.
Photo courtesy CNN
The truth is, Maradona was far from perfect. He had a drug addiction and was promiscuous. So why the adoration? Yes, he was a tremendous soccer player, but he was also humble. A self-made, rags-to-riches person, Maradona did not consider himself better than others.
Born in Villa Florito, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Maradona had a rough childhood. His parents had seven children, and his father was a factory worker. There wasn’t much money, and the roof leaked when it rained. There was alson’t always enough food. The mother often told the children she wasn’t hungry so they could share what was available.
Coming from a background like that, you would think that Maradona would flaunt his riches and fame. He did not. Few people go from poverty to riches and remain humble, but Maradona did. Indeed, he often reminded people of his humble beginnings, and they identified with him.
Maradona’s approach reminds me of a personal experience with Jason Ritter (John’s son) while working on the film Kevin (Probably) Saves the World. An actress who appeared in that film but not in a starring role, how pleasant I found Ritter to be. He greeted me with a smile and hello.
We need more famous but not prideful people like Maradona and Ritter.
