You see “the attitude of gratitude” on the Tango Yankee chip. The meaning of that, and the reason the words are displayed, should be self-evident for all of us. Unfortunately, it’s not.
We chose that phrase for the Tango Yankee Project for reasons best articulated by the last Roman Emperor of the Pax Romana: Marcus Aurelius. Aurelius, a Stoic philosopher, said:
“All you need are these: certainty of judgment in the present moment; action for the common good in the present moment; and an attitude of gratitude in the present moment for anything that comes your way.” Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 9.6
There are many reasons an attitude of gratitude are important, both at the individual and interpersonal levels. We’ll talk about those in future posts.
Marcus Aurelius was neither the first nor last to articulate this truth. Seneca echoes it in his Moral Letters to Lucilius when he says,
“It’s in keeping with Nature to show our friends affection and to celebrate their advancement, as if it were our very own. For if we don’t do this, virtue, which is strengthened only by exercising our perceptions, will no longer endure in us.”
Even Winnie the Pooh’s buddy Piglet understood the value of being thankful and appreciative.
Read the Meditations online.
Visit us again for further discussion on the benefits of having – and sharing – gratitude.
Get a handful of chips today: recognize people who do right.