BS’D
Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of Nosson Tzvi ben Sara Rivka Kashtiy. May Hashem send him a complete recovery and for all of Klal Yisrael who are sick and suffering b’karov, b’rachamim, Amen!
How wonderful it would be if we could clearly see how much good there is in life – in our lives. It is a worthwhile practice to train ourselves to see the good in the world. Life is about focus. What do we choose to concentrate on?
The media loves to brainwash us into thinking that we are lacking; gadgets, appliances, electronics, clothing, vacation, etc. Even if we do attain some of the above they ‘grow’ on us, we get used to it and stop appreciating their value. When gratitude is implanted in our hearts it renews our vision and we become excited over the gifts we have. Imagine constantly living with words of thanks on our lips.
Rebbe Nachman ztk’l teaches, “Gratitude rejoices with her sister joy and is always ready to light a candle and have a party. Gratitude doesn’t much like the old cronies of boredom, despair and taking life for granted.” Let’s practice being grateful for rain, our shoes, green grass, red apples and a pumping heart, of course.
Thankfulness is a middah (character attribute) closely woven into the Torah way of living. Chazal teach us that a refined soul is a soul that is grateful. The ability to live a life of thankfulness is planted in every Jew, yet it needs to be developed through practice. The reward – we release ourselves from the nagging feeling of dissatisfaction and thus can begin to enjoy that which we have. When we stop running after whirls and winds of this world, we can clearly see and cherish what has been there all along in front of us.
