So many times a door in life closes and we become angry, cursing our fate. We lose a job, our girlfriend or boyfriend leaves us, our house is virtually destroyed in a storm and we have to move. To The famous Roman orator, Cicero, who lived in the First Century, A. D., had this to say about attitude, "A thankful heart is not only the greatest Virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues."



At first glance, this is a puzzling little saying, but since Cicero is probably one of the world's first motivational speakers, perhaps it is worth taking seriously. Still, we must ask, what is a thankful heart- especially in a world where hearts are so easily broken, where calamity and disappointment for so many, lurks behind every corner and where life seems so easily to dispense failure and dissatisfaction and heartbreak?

It would seem that a thankful heart is possessed by a man or a woman who habitually looks at the world with a feeling of thanksgiving or gratitude despite what other people might think of the world about them. To obtain a thankful heart, one must either be slightly insane, given the nature of things- or have adopted an attitude of thankfulness, despite the normal course of things- for some over-riding reason. Cicero must; of course, being talking about someone who holds the latter opinion for he also says that a thankful heart is "the parent of all other virtues."

Some say that the Law of Attraction operates by sending back to you whatever you send out to the universe. It would seem that it would best to be sending out thoughts from a heart disciplined to look at the good side of things. In other words; look at life by seeking the invisible opportunity in difficulties, seize the possibilities for growth in adversity, and to look at life's situations from the standpoint of a thankful heart. For most, the habitual response to those situations is purely negative. But to others, who know the secret, there is always the possibility of a hidden advantage.

What could that be like? Well, obviously, if you lose your job, you could get a better job, one that you would never thought of looking for. If you lose a boyfriend or have a divorce, there could be something in store from you. Things that seem bad are not always the worst possible things. Sometimes they are just a way of the universe opening up new possibilities for you to enjoy.

Therefore, at the very least, when something unexpected happens, you can realize that you are stepping into the unknown. But, is there a way you can step into these unknown and perhaps seemingly dangerous waters- and still put your best foot forward? Perhaps, you can use the healing and strengthening power of gratitude. Gratitude is not just an emotion, but a power, a power that empowers you to move forward.

What should we be grateful for? Yes, we should be grateful for our jobs, our homes, our cars, our financial rewards-but, principally, we should be thankful for our friends and families, for the loving relationships that nurture and sustain us everyday. But, instead, of letting our gratitude be like the backdrop of painting, a colorful but distant background to the events and drama in our lives, Greg Hand suggests that it should be a very positive, very prominent part of our lives. How do we do this?

By daily, hourly, minute by minute, thanking God for the many wonderful things in our lives. In a recent video called The Secret, the movie focuses on the Law of Attraction, what it describes as the universe's natural and lawful tendency to return back to us what is given it. So, if you give gratitude to the universe- gratitude for the abundance, love, happiness and peace in your life, for the manifold blessings you have-even if those seem somehow hiding under a shadow- the universe will return the attitude by bringing abundance, love, happiness and peace into your life. Sometimes it happens in a very surprising way.

The real secret, however; is to be thankful for your all the wonderful things you have in your life and to always seek the hidden advantage in the events that surround you. Dare to dream and make those dreams into your reality through your actions and thoughts