A reminder of the gentler sides of this country and our shared humanity.
A Promised Land, by Stephen Golub, February 24, 2026
One of my favorite songs is “Humble and Kind,” popularized by country star Tim McGraw and composed by Lori McKenna (who herself performs a great version). I’ve been thinking longfully about it lately because the tenor of our times cuts so deeply against the song’s spirit.
The song is of course best appreciated if you actually listen to it; even better, I urge you to view the McGraw version’s surprising official video (which, with all due respect to country music’s great variety, isn’t typical of that genre). But I’ll try to get by in simply describing and quoting the composition…
Hold the door, say please, say thank you
Don’t steal, don’t cheat, and don’t lie
I know you got mountains to climb but
Always stay humble and kind
Even if you’re a fan of the guy currently occupying the White House, can you imagine him uttering anything at all like those lyrics?
On the national level, we’ve strayed so far away from such sentiments in this contentious and even cruel age, what with a president who promises his supporters that “I am your retribution” and who broadcasts so many other hateful messages.
“Humble and Kind” is not about America, per se. But it’s still a reminder of the gentler sides of this country and our shared humanity. Though I’m not religious and my grandparents are long gone, I still find its homespun opening comforting:
You know there’s a light that glows by the front door
Don’t forget the key’s under the mat
When childhood stars shine
Always stay humble and kind
Go to church ’cause your momma says to
Visit grandpa every chance that you can
It won’t be wasted time
Always stay humble and kind
This is not to dismiss taking pride in who we are; pride and humility are not mutually exclusive.
Nor am I asserting we shouldn’t be angry, even furious, about what each day’s headlines bring; we can in fact channel our anger into productive action.
And I’m certainly not claiming that humility, kindness, courtesy and compassion are always my own daily calling cards.
I’m instead saying that in these times we stay sane and positive partly by cherishing these kinds of qualities. They’re of course valuable all the time. But they become even more so when our national leadership is so coarse and corrupt.
One of the things I love about Benicia is that we see such virtues on display every day, from our daily interactions to the way our city’s leadership conducts itself.
Yes, there are some intense differences of opinion, some clashes among the diverse personalities that constitute our community. “Kumbaya” is not the civic anthem. Sadly, this town has not been without its displays of hate.
But all in all, Benicia is a pretty polite, warm, welcoming and civil place to be. There’s a humility and kindness to it.
Which brings me back to “Humble and Kind.” In some ways, its message is as simple as a parent’s advice to their kids. It’s about how to live life.
It’s also about humanity. Check out that McGraw video to get a full sense of that.
Its closing lines additionally speak to displaying a generosity of spirit toward people in general and especially the less fortunate.
Finally, when I hear those final lines, they also bring to mind whether and how we welcome America’s immigrants, who – like all of our families if we go back far enough – made their ways here from somewhere else:
Don’t take for granted the love this life gives you
When you get where you’re going don’t forget to turn back around
And help the next one in line
Always stay humble and kind
Stephen Golub writes about democracy and politics, both in America and abroad, at A Promised Land: America as a Developing Country.
John Harwood is an American journalist. He was the White House Correspondent for CNN from February 2021 until September 2022, after working as an editor-at-large for CNBC. He was the chief Washington Correspondent for CNBC and a contributor for The New York Times.
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