Gratitude; Appreciation

I never really thought about the impact he made, until he wasn’t there....

As we spoke, another passenger approached, stated he was heading to Starbucks, and asked the soldier if he wanted anything. He politely declined. Moments later, another traveler sat next to the soldier. And a repeat of my very questions from his end ensue...

On the one hand, I can see gratitude as a sign of faith, as it means that we acknowledge the involvement of G‑d in our lives. But is faith required in order to be a grateful person? Don’t all decent people say “please” and “thank you”?

Without her thanks, I was irate. I felt taken advantage of. I had no desire to help her in any way again. And then the phone rang...

As I searched deep within myself, I realized that although logically I was okay with my life, my heart was in turmoil. There was a part of me that was angry, sad and anguished. My mind believed. My mind had faith. But my heart ached . . .

The daffodils that were planted in the hard-packed dirt at the base of the palm tree, those that are trampled on year after year, continue to break through the hard soil and proudly sprout their yellow blooms . . .

I thought of you today, Randy. It has been a while since I thought of you, and about how quickly you entered and exited our life. It’s dreary and rainy today, and it made me think about how I used to see you shuffling with your walker up the street, past ...

In a state of shock immediately following the crash, I did not remember being pregnant, having two other children who were in the car, or being married. I felt like I was sixteen, without any responsibility to anyone but myself . . .

For years, I never made the connection between the customary Shavuot decorations of flowers and any deeper feeling these decorations were supposed to engender. I always noted the presence of a few flowerpots in synagogue, then ignored them...

If we would only slow down and pay attention to the beauty that surrounds us. We are called human beings, not human doings. We tend to value ourselves and others by how much we achieve, how many items we can check off our “to do” list, how much we can ama...