I think you really hit the nail on the head here, Steve. It truly is better to be grateful despite life's circumstances than to be grateful because of them. I'll draw an analogy to how I was taught that you should be kind to and pray for even those who are your enemies (turn the other cheek, so to speak). This is certainly a circumstance where gratitude can help you distinguish the underlying reasons behind a situation where someone is working against you in a much better way than if you simply look at them as your enemy. That way, you can possibly achieve a much better resolution. At the very least, you'll grow yourself and become a better person.
Anyway, great article. This makes complete sense and is truly something I intend to keep in mind.
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A truly open mind will seriously consider all points of view, even those with which it strongly disagrees for there may be a grain of truth in even the most ridiculous of opinions. |