Buddy Valastero, the star of cable television’s Cake Boss, was recently profiled in USA Today.  According to the article, the Make-A-Wish Foundation recently asked him to help grant the wish of a 7-year old girl who was terminally ill.  She wanted to make a cake with Mr. Valastero, and her wish was granted.  “After she left, Valastero cried. ‘I want people to know that life isn’t so bad.  If you think you have problems, others have worse problems.'”

After reading these comments, I thought of a book which I have read several times, The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale.  It was originaly published in 1952 and is a classic, having sold over 7 million copies in 15 languages.  Rev. Peale was a minister for many years in the middle of commercial Manhattan.  Corporate executives, professionals, and other economically productive people sought his advice about overcoming struggles and defeats. 

The advice given in The Power of Positive Thinking is just as pertinent today as it was back in ’52.  One of the most important lessons to be learned is when to count your blessings:  first thing in the morning and just before you go to sleep.  Once you have an inventory of your blessings, it is much easier to tackle problems that once seemed insurmountable.  “Any fact facing us even seemingly hopeless is not so important as our attitude towards that fact.”