Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie, Author
Robert Emmons, a professor of psychology and author of the book THANKS! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier, states that gratitude is the “queen of the virtues.” That being the case, the “king” of virtues has to be empathy (see February 2013 blog).
The “king” and “queen” oversee a “court of virtues,” such as respect, responsibility, compassion, courage, perseverance, citizenship, self-discipline, gratitude, honesty, trust, and empathy.
We should include in the “courtyard” Martin Seligman’s “character strengths” list:
- Wisdom and knowledge (creativity, curiosity, open-mindedness, love of learning, perspective)
- Courage (bravery, persistence, integrity, vitality)
- Humanity (love, kindness, social-emotional intelligence) Justice (social responsibility, citizenship)
- Temperance (forgiveness and mercy, humility/modesty, self regulation)
- Transcendence (gratitude, hope, humor)
Our homes, schools, communities, and society, should be fostering and promoting these character strengths and virtues among the young; one might make a case for adults as well.
Let’s focus on the “queen and king” –gratitude and empathy.