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The Secret of a Thankful Heart
By Greg L. Hand
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 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.
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Copyright by Greg L. Hand
Learn how the Law of Attraction governs events in your
world and how utilizing the power of Gratitude can help shape your life for
the better. Visit http://www.mygratituderock.com
a website inspired by The Secret and get a free gift just for looking.
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