The humble person recognizes perfection as the unattainable goal of existence, and accepts painful mistakes as milestones on the upward path. Only self-love — the warm, forgiving embrace of one’s self as a vessel of God’s Grace — allows these painful lessons to influence behavior, because we are no longer in denial, or self-defensive. We want to learn. This is the paradox of spiritual growth. We cannot learn to love ourselves without first having some good reasons not to; but the qualities we detest in our nature will not go away unless we love ourselves enough to do the work required for their elimination. True humility is accepting correction and admonishment without complaint or self-defense.
Nick Hilton - Reflections 