September 21 ~  Gratitude Bridging Heaven & Earth

"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others."
~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

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Begin today with a "thank you." There is so much to be grateful for. Each new day is 24 new hours to live... and celebrate life.

"Man absolutely cannot live by himself," explained philosopher Erich Fromm.

Acknowledge your gifts and be grateful for everything. To look at life with gratitude is to clearly see opportunities. Even at those times of the greatest challenges, with gratitude, any difficulty can be transformed into a blessing, into a meaningful lesson of growth.

As Great Britain icon Winston Churchill once said, "Kites rise highest against the wind—not with it."

Know in your heart that any failure is simply a stepping stone to success. Pain moves the heart to coping, to healing and the discovery of greater compassion for others.

"Gratitude," said jazz musician Lionel Hampton, "is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind."

Celebrate blessings, all that you have, all that is RIGHT in life. Make it a routine to think about and write your celebrations down daily in a journal.

Share your gratitude with others. Think about those people--your parents, your friends, your loved ones--who have given so much to you. Take the time to thank them for their generosity. Write a letter or call them on the phone. Share your thankful heart.

Gratitude, which brings peace and hope, is contagious. Share... and watch what happens!

gratitudeBegin... and end today with a "Thank You."