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An Attitude of Gratitude – Message from the Chairman
An Attitude of Gratitude
Message from the Chairman
In 2022 as the country learned to “live with” the Coronavirus, it was wonderful to experience again all that The King’s School has to offer. How appropriate, then, that the School has included Gratitude in its definitive list of values this year, for we have much for which to be grateful.
Gratitude is a gift we all possess, but the key is what we do with it. Cicero, the Roman lawyer and orator, said, ‘Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all others.’ Magic can be found in the service of others. The Harvard Health newsletter notes gratitude connects us to something larger than ourselves as individuals. There is growing research in Positive Psychology that links an attitude of gratitude to a greater sense of happiness and wellbeing. It is an attitude, a habit, a way of looking at the world. It is appreciating the good things in our lives and not grumbling and gossiping and complaining about the things that do not suit us.
The Class of 2022 graduated in a week of world change as we mourned the death of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and witnessed the assentation of a new King of our Commonwealth. I know these events will help Year 12 remember their graduation from The King’s School. Still, I hope that, as a group, they will look to find ways to be grateful for the privileged and blessed life they shared at the School – to their parents, most significantly, who made the experience possible – as well as to find ways to pay this forward. As the Headmaster reminded us at the Commemoration Service, Her Majesty’s life and example tell us that participating in life can only mean a life of service. One cannot participate in life unless one chooses to serve others.
Something for which we can all be grateful is the forward-looking Bicentennial of The King’s School in 2031. We are already into our Decade of Impact that will culminate in this amazing milestone. The Bicentenary provides an opportunity to celebrate our history, traditions and rites of passage and engage in genuine and impactful contributions to society, as our mission implores us to do. A King’s education is not for the benefit of those who receive it, but as our mission asks us as a school, as individuals, as groups of boys, as Old Boys and as staff, it is to make a meaningful impact for society. It calls us to service.
We can be grateful to have had a more normal and outgoing year this year. From a personal perspective, I am grateful to be Chairman of such a thriving school and for the number of school events I have been able to attend this year, from drama, such as our musical School of Rock, to the ANZAC ceremonies, for The King’s School Cadet Corps Passing Out Parade on White Oval, for the HSC Art, Industrial Arts and IT exhibitions and for the Back to King’s weekend. Only when these opportunities are returned to us after two years of disruption can we again appreciate our gratitude for their special meaning.
Finally, I extend my gratitude to the Governors who serve on The Council of The King’s School – volunteers all – for their dedication and commitment to the School and for the leadership of our Headmaster, whose exceptional ideas and vision have been evident in abundance this year, and to all the staff across all three campuses of the School for their commitment, and unfailing dedication to our students and their families.
As we reflect on all that was achieved in 2022 and is celebrated in this edition of The Gazette, I am sure that, like me, you will find much for which to be grateful.
With my warmest best wishes,
