We’ve all experienced missed opportunities and misfortunes. We may have lost a job, or lost a chance at romance and this may have led us to feel betrayed, frustrated or disheartened. But have you ever thought to be thankful for that lost opportunity? Have you ever expressed gratitude in the face of loss?

We’ve all heard the saying “when one door closes, another one opens,” yet we rarely keep this in mind when faced with difficult circumstances. Do we celebrate when we are turned down for a promotion, or laid off from our job? Do we offer our hearty congratulations when that certain someone we’ve had our eye on decides to marry someone else?

Closed doors are opportunities to move forward in our lives. They are the universe’s way of telling us to move on from a situation that doesn’t serve our highest good.

How many years are you willing to devote to someone who doesn’t return your love? How many years are you willing to waste in a dead end job?

I used to work for a mortgage company. I started when I was 17 years old, and devoted 10 years of my life to that job. Then came the day when the company was bought, and I was counted among those who would soon be laid off. I applied for a job in another department, but didn’t get it. I went home on my very last day, in tears that I had given so much of myself to a place that didn’t even appreciate me.

I spent my first two months of unemployment grieving my loss. Many of my friends still worked there, and life at the mortgage company moved forward without me. This only served to intensify my dismal state. I even applied for a few jobs doing administrative work, but had no call-backs on any of them. Then a friend of mine asked me why I didn’t go to massage school? I was known at the office for giving really great back massages, and I obviously had a talent for it. At first I thought that was crazy talk. Then I thought, “why not?”

The next thing I knew, I was in massage school. And after that my life shifted into high gear, and I found myself moving forward with excitement and ease. I met a wonderful chiropractor who wanted me to do massage in her office. Then I was pregnant with my first child, and decided on a homebirth because of my chiropractor’s wonderful experience with her midwife.

And that of course just caused another spectacular series of events to happen in my life. Now, 15 years later, I’m a holistic healer, writer, home birthing, home schooling mom , and metaphysics teacher all because I got laid off from a job that I didn’t even enjoy that much!

When I got laid off I did not go home and celebrate it. But if I’d had any idea how many wonderful opportunities would be coming my way in the moment that door slammed shut on my life, I would have thrown the party of the century!

When one door closes, another one opens, bringing opportunities and adventure beyond our wildest imagination. When faced with that locked door, take a deep breath, give a prayer of thanks, and prepare for the miracle that will become your life.