They say that pride goes before a fall

“They say that pride goes before a fall. I say, not if you carefully walk to the edge and stop before you fall. What is so bad about pride? I have pride in my work I do. Is that a sin? I am proud of my kids. My wife just sold a painting. I am proud of her. Does this mean I am going to hell? I don’t think so. Its when you go to far. Here is an example: I was proud my son beat the ever-living crap out of the neighbor’s kid. Pleased as punch. Do you know why? It’s because the neighbor is a prick. I hate him. I was so proud I gave him a dollar. Every day after that my son beat his kid up, and every day I gave him a dollar. This continued for a while until one day his kid jumped mine on the way home from school. My son came running up to me crying. I just shook my head.
“I had become too proud. I thought he couldn’t be beat. Did I console my child? Did I pat him on the back and tell him everything would be ok? No. The fall had come. So I said keep on trucking. I told him if he didn’t beat that kid up twice the next day it would be his ass on the line.”

- an excerpt from William Jasper Waldrep’s graduation commencement speech given to The Mississippi Technical, Automotive, and Clerical College Class of 2013.