A wise teacher once quoted me an ancient Hebrew saying that I never forgot: “The Lord God Blessed Be He has given Mankind many good gifts in his cradles, and some of them come in rough wrappings.” The rough wrappings often keep us from appreciating the gift within. It is much easier to focus on the difficult wrappings than it is to work at untying the knots that secure it to the gift.

Like many if not most I have had my share of stress. I can also say that I have grown stronger and more resourceful as a result of the strenuous gifts within it, chiefly because I chose to unwrap them. This is not because I am stronger or wiser than those who leave the wrappings be, but because I am always curious as to what any experience may have to teach me.

It is easy to be grateful for happy circumstances, for kind friends, for those I love who love me back. It is much more difficult to be grateful for those experiences and individuals that have brought me pain, sorrow or problems. Yet when I can muster up the strength to be grateful even for whatever in my life has caused me discomfort and trouble, often I can tune into the gift that comes hidden within.

It is truly said that if all of us were to hang our troubles on a tree we’d look them all over and then take back our own. It may be that each of us learns best from our own unique experiences and that the lessons of others would be lost on us. I know that I have grown stronger as a result of this year. I also know that my growth has come more easily because regardless what happens I make an effort to maintain my attitude of gratitude.