Gratitude

I hope all students will finish the semester with a sense of gratitude; gratitude for the learning opportunities provided at this College and gratitude for the efforts made on their behalf by their parents and or guardians and the College staff.

Why bother to practise gratitude in your life? Because scientific studies indicate that gratitude plays a significant role in a person’s sense of wellbeing.

“Acts of daily gratitude result in higher levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, optimism and energy. Additionally, people who perform acts of gratitude are more likely to help others, to exercise more regularly, make more progress towards personal goals and are more likely to feel loved. Gratitude encourages a positive cycle of kindness among people since one act of gratitude encourages another.”

McCollough and Emmons. Researchers.

It would seem that anyone can improve their sense of wellbeing and create positive social effects by being grateful with what they have and do in life.

St. Augustine thought so too and had this to say:

“People go abroad to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the oceans, at the circular motion of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering. Let us acknowledge the wonder that we are here, in these particular bodies, at this particular time, in these particular circumstances. May we never take for granted the gift of our individuality”.

What great advice! Look at ourselves in a positive manner and allow gratitude to unlock the fullness of life for us. Be grateful for the demands others make of us, for that means that we are considered to be positive contributors in their lives. Be grateful for the weariness at the end of the day/term, for that means that we have been productive for others and ourselves.

There is simply no end to the opportunity we have to be grateful people provided we regard our “glass of life” as being “half-full”.

Over the last two weeks as some students have sat end -of-semester exams and all students have put the finishing touches to their work for first semester, I have had a strong sense that a very large majority of our students will be able to open their reports and experience a sense of pride in a job well done.

Winding up a semester is a necessarily busy time and I wish to compliment and especially thank staff and parents for the work that they have done to make sure that our students had the best opportunity possible to produce their best work. Our students also deserve compliments and thanks for the way that they have approached this busy time.

During this term there have been many successes and we were reminded of this at last week’s final assembly for the term. Once again it highlighted the many and varied opportunities that are available to the students we are privileged to have in our care. By far the majority of them have risen to the occasion, made the most of these opportunities and worked very well this semester.

On Thursday last week we farewelled the Year 11 students and staff who headed to Timor Leste for the tenth of our annual Immersion trips. We look forward to hearing from them when they return.

I wish all families, students and staff all the very best for a relaxing and restful school holiday period. We trust that students will return to school ready to make the most of the opportunities presented to them during Semester II.

“Lord, help us to see life afresh and to strengthen one another in our new beginnings of practising gratitude. We are grateful of Your guidance through the indwelling of Your Spirit in each of us. Amen.”

God bless.

Michael Delaney

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St Joseph's College, Echuca

Issue 10 · 27 Jun 2019

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