Many people don't believe in the power of gratitude. For some stupid reason, they'd rather believe in "Murphy's Law" (if there's anything that will go wrong it will) - which is also "superstitious" if that happens to be your taken on gratitude.

In fact, both are scientifically feasible...

And everything hinges on your attitude and how you view it. For the purpose of proving this theory, I'd like to reveal to you a personal story of how the power of gratitude worked in my life...

My husband is disabled, and we have accepted this over the last couple of years...

He often said how grateful he is that he has had time to spend with his dog, "Jazz"... who had become a personal companion for him over the pasts 13 years.

Since last April, Jazz had been slowing down from time to time, and I saw her as becoming more obstinate in her ways. For example, many times when I attempted to walk her before leaving for work in the morning, she just gave me that "look" as if to say, "No thank you, I'm staying on the 'soft-soft' here with Daddy - he'll walk me later".

Of course, my husband couldn't walk her far, but I believed she knew instinctively that walking would help him physically and mentally, and was therefore set in her ways with a hell-bound relentless persistence to only be walked by him.

And I still believe that; but of course, there was really more to it than that...

She continued to seem slower in her movements and not as excited for walks with anyone as time went on...

... Until one day in October when this 13 year old dog actually found her ball - her favorite puppy play toy - and brought it to Joel to play. "Nancy", he yelled, "I've been trying to get her to play ball for 13 years, and she's finally doing it!"

We didn't know at the time that that was her last "rally" before the dreadful day came.

And then it happened... the day I tried to walk her and she gave me that look again. I didn't think much about it; "OK, just walk with Daddy later", I told her, and went on to work. Two hours later, Joel called me at work and said, "Nancy, come home NOW!"

"What? Why?" I asked... "Jazz is dying"...

I couldn't believe it - this was the same dog that wanted to play ball last week, and the same dog that went on a long a course in miracles with me two days ago! By the time I arrived, I was her lying on the floor and panting hard with the leash still around her neck... "I tried to walk her, but she can't get up" he said, "and she literally fell off the bed when I pulled on the leash", with tears in his eyes. I tried to be strong for him. "I'll help you transfer her to a blanket so we can stretcher into the car. The only way that would work easily is to put her in the back of her hatch back - which felt like we were shoving her in the trunk.

The vet told us what we already knew...

She was dying, and extensive testing at this point would only make it worse, so we agreed to euthanasia. Joel continued looking straight into her eyes while I continued talking soothingly to her and petting her head as they were getting ready to do the deed.

However, a very strange thing happened... Right after they put a needle in her arm and before anything was administered, she stopped breathing.

"It's OK if you have to go", Joel told her, "there's a place with no pain waiting for you"...

And then, a very strange thing happened...

Right after they put a needle in her arm and before anything was administered, she stopped breathing.

I knew then that this was a time to start allowing the power of gratitude to work for us...

Naturally, Joel was heartbroken, as was I; but I remained grateful that it happened in such a way where she didn't have to go through a lot of suffering before "crossing over", and she went naturally without drugs and at a time where we could both be with her.

"The Universe really knows only perfection", I thought.

Joel remained in mourning for a few weeks, and I was scheduled to attend an event in Orlando. He originally would have stayed home to watch Jazz, but he now decided to come with me. We agreed to celebrate our 15th anniversary at Epcot, but he just couldn't get into it and wanted to leave by 2:00 PM