Bracha
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al s’firat haomer.
Blessed are You, LORD God, ruler of the Universe, who hallows us with the mitzvot, commanding us to count the Omer.
Today is the forty-seventh day — six weeks and five days of the Omer.
Today’s Reflection
One of the threads that seemingly runs through all faith traditions is the importance of gratitude in our spiritual lives. Rabbi Kedar teaches, “We affirm the goodness in life when we offer a daily prayer of gratitude. When life is difficult, and still we find the spiritual fortitude to offer a prayer of gratitude, then we declare possibility, optimism, hope” (Kedar, pg. 157).
For many years since I was a teenager, I’ve kept gratitude journals, outlining 5-10 things I am grateful for each day. Sometimes these resembled simple lists, sometimes they are more detailed. When I was studying positive psychology a few years ago, I read books by Dr. Seligman (the founder of the positive psychology movement), and his research showed clearly that we when we overtly declare/reflect on what we are grateful for — from the simple things like smiles and sunshine, to the more complex and dynamic situations like grief, depression, and trauma — we encourage our minds to see the good (or at least the lesson) in our lives. And that creates positive feelings, that creates a more positive outlook, and that creates…dare I say…happiness.
While I’m still in the throes of my situational depression (though it feels like I’m on an upswing), it does seem a bit “Pollyanna-ish” to think one can be happy if they express gratitude. But I think that’s not the point at all anyway. Cultivating gratitude is all about making space for a perspective shift that happens over time. Gratitude is a practice, not a perfection.
Rabbi Kedar writes, “Imagine how your life would be different if every day you said, ‘Thank you God, for Your abundant gifts’ even if your life is difficult. How would that shift your perspective, change your outlook on life? …Gratitude and hope are the spiritual foundations of a life of meaning and purpose (Kedar, pg. 156-157).
And so it is. Amen.