An Attitude of Gratitude

Sometimes, life gets a little too comfortable. Sometimes, we begin to take things for granted. Sometimes we forget that every single detail in our life is a GIFT FROM G-D...Recently, I noticed that there were certain aspects of my life that I was taking for granted and not showing enough gratitude, either to G-d or his messengers that provide me with daily, if not hourly, reasons to be grateful. If I really sat and thought about it, I'm sure I could come up with hundreds more reasons to be grateful, but here is a shortened list:

1) I am grateful that I was born in Canada and that I was able to experience falls and winters there growing up. Playing in the beautiful changing/falling leaves, building snowmen and making snow angels as a child were very special and irreplaceable parts of my childhood.

2) I am grateful that I was born to the two parents I was blessed with. Through the years, being their daughter has taught me a lot about myself and the kind of woman I want(ed) to grow to become.

3) I am grateful to my parents for speaking to me in Hebrew and French while I was growing up, as now I am fluent in three languages.

4) I am grateful to my surrogate sisters in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Atlanta and beyond, who have taught me the true value of real friendship.

5) I am grateful to my ex husband for loving me enough to let me go.

6) I am grateful to Rabbi Ross Singer and his wife Emily for helping me to connect with the deepest part of myself  and encouraging me to begin my journey into the rich world of Yiddishkeit.

7) I am grateful to Rabbi Fass and Nefesh B'Nefesh (www.nbn.org.il) for helping me realize my dream of making Aliyah and then giving me a job as a Pre Aliyah Counselor for my first year and a half here.

8) I am grateful to Prof. Reuven Feuerstein (www.icelp.org) for giving me a job as a mediator in his holy center of miracles.

9) I am grateful to all the different guys I went on dates with before I met my husband, as every wrong date brought me closer to my soul mate.

10) I am grateful for Facebook as it allows me to stay connected to people I love and it serves as a great tool for educating the rest of the world and trying to change their misconceptions about the amazing place I live in.

11) I am grateful to live in a community full of people who do tremendous chessed (acts of loving kindness). One of the many examples is not allowing me to cook a single meal for my family for a whole month, after each time I gave birth.

12) I am grateful to G-d for bringing me my sweet, caring, loving and devoted Hubby at the perfect time.

13) I am grateful to G-d and to Hubby for making me an Ema (mother) to my two precious jewels.

14) I am grateful for the fantastic medical care I received during my pregnancy, during labour and during my stays in the hospital post deliveries.

15) I am grateful that Hubby's income allows for me to stay home with our kids and to be there for all of their important milestones.

16) I am grateful for Shabbat. To this day, I have no idea how I managed living a life without it.

17) I am grateful each morning I wake up to the sound of Hubby and our special little treasures.

18) I am grateful for cool and sunny days around this time of year.

19) I am grateful for my crockpot, which allows for me to make yummy and healthy meals without having to hang out for hours in the kitchen.

20) I am grateful for the shows "Law and Order" and "Glee", the two shows that Hubby and I enjoy watching together after the kiddies have gone to sleep.

21) I am grateful for SKYPE, as it allows for my kids to develop and maintain relationships with their grandparents who live on the other side of the world.

22) I am grateful for G-d's mitzvot, His Commandments, as they encourage me to live a rich life of striving to become the best Me that I can be.

23) I am grateful for Ben & Jerry's, as their sinfully decadent ice creams are wonderful treats, especially on a hot summer day (or any other day, for that matter).

24) I am grateful for good music and fun times dancing with my kids.

25) I am grateful for being able to see the good that comes from very painful events in my life and encouraging the people I love to do the same.

Dear reader, take a good and honest look at your life. There's no question in my mind, that you too, have many, many things to be grateful for. I truly believe that only good things can come from developing an attitude of gratitude.

With Love,
Cigal