In Woody Allen’s latest film, “Midnight in Paris”...

In Woody Allen’s latest film, “Midnight in Paris” the protagonist, after magically going back to 1920’s Paris,  remarks that every generation desires to romantically go back to the past when they believe times were better and things were easier.  He concludes however, that people are made for the time they are in and must live it to the best. 

Since we cannot go back in time and retreat in these difficult days, what can we learn from the poster that rallied the British to demonstrate courage, cheerfulness and resolution?

The poster read: “Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring Us Victory.”

In 1939 at the beginning of World War II the British government produced a series of posters intended to boost the morale of its demoralized citizens who were fearing a German invasion. They had good reason to fear as Adolph Hitler was invading one European nation after another. The first in this series of posters read: “Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring Us Victory”.

I don’t need to tell you that today, 72 years later, we find ourselves IN similarly precarious times.  National debt, unemployment, terrorism, instability in the Middle-east and a chain of recent natural disasters have a majority of Americans with a similar sense of fearing.

Won’t you join me in demonstrating virtue?

So here is a recommended set of virtues that I believe ought to govern our behavior in the marketplace and every place:

1. Patience
2. Kindness
3. Celebration
4. Moderation
5. Manners
6. Give, Give, Give
7. Peace
8. Let go
9. Truth
10. Perseverance
11. Positivity
12. Hopeful
13. Consistent

Let’s make our sliver of creation a little better for those we interact with.  Won’t you join me in demonstrating virtue?  Be a force for good in the marketplace and every place so we make the world a better place?