Gratitude is the essence of our identity. Gratitude leads to happiness. We get so busy with chasing after the things we want, that we forget to enjoy the present moment and therefore forget to be happy. I hear people all the time saying: ”Oh, I will be happy when I will get a new car or a big house or…” and when those things do happen, they go on to planning the next thing and the next thing and forget to enjoy the what they’ve achieved so far. We need to take the time to be thankful for what we already have. We need to identify the small things that we should not take for granted.
Science backs up this attitude. A study conducted by researchers at the University of California, proved that people who expressed gratitude on a daily basis felt much better physically and mentally than those who didn’t. In the study, one group wrote about things they were grateful for that had occurred during the week and a second group wrote about daily annoyances and what irritated them that day. “After 10 weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. Surprisingly, they also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on sources of aggravation.”
Our Jewish tradition also states that gratitude is of the utmost importance, and I believe that ‘Thank you’ is the best prayer that anyone could say. Our sages teach in Pirkei Avot, “Who is rich? One who is satisfied with his lot.” As Jews, we also say that “Thank you” every morning when we wake up:
“Modeh anee lefanecha melech chai vekayam, she-he-chezarta bee nishmatee b’chemla, raba emunatecha.”
“I offer thanks to You, living and eternal King, for You have mercifully restored my soul within me; Your faithfulness is great.”
If you’ll say it every morning and wake up with an attitude of gratitude, I’m sure your day will start great and your life will start looking more beautiful. I hope you start looking for the small things that you’re grateful for and I wish you a happy Thanksgiving.
THANK YOU!
Rabbi Ron Koas
