Gratitude comes so easily to us . . . when things are going well. It is the rest of the day that can be a challenge.
The term “gratitude” in Hebrew is translated as “recognizing the good / hakarat hatov.” Some of us tend to take “the good” for granted. We might pay little notice to our good health until we get sick. We might give little time to a relationship until we experience a loss. We might not think twice about a purchase until we get a call from our bank.
Of course, none of these events need to be so dramatic. We know that we should count our blessings and sometimes it is just a quick reminder that gets us back on track. Seeing the plight of others might remind us of the goodness in our lives. Taking a moment to watch the sunset might clue us in to the blessings that we experience on a regular basis. Even an inspirational bumper sticker can bring a smile to our faces.
Once we have a grasp of paying attention to the good in our lives, we have the challenge of taking the next step – recognizing the good even when things are not so good. Finding the goodness in traffic or a long line; counting our blessings when our body hurts; being thankful when we are hungry, cold or lonely.
These might seem like insurmountable obstacles. However, our sages teach us that we can find a glimmer of light even in tragedy. The key, they tell us, is that we need to build up our “gratitude muscles” little-by-little. An exercise for gratitude could be: Smiling at friends and strangers alike; thanking others for even the smallest act; reciting “this too is for the good” when we catch the red light, the market goes down, or when our children are texting their friends in the middle of dinner.
At TAE, the month of November is dedicated to gratitude / recognizing the good / hakarat hatov. By the time Thanksgiving arrives, may we all have a new appreciation for the blessings in our lives, and in this way become greater blessings to each other.
For Parents
Gratitude is simply a way of looking at things. We often learn true gratitude from the ones we feel sorry for. A homeless child can teach us to be grateful for having a home to live in, even if it isn’t our dream home. An ill person can teach us to be grateful for being able to go outside and take a walk or play. A person too sick to go outside was once noted as saying,” I can’t go out. I can’t run. I can’t be out there without fear of getting sick. But you know what? I appreciate that window more than you do…I look out that window every day. I notice the change in the trees, how strong the wind is blowing…I am drawn to nature like I’m seeing it for the first time." Children can be trained to search for a silver lining in any situation. Obstacles that get in the way of our gratitude may be golden opportunities if we allow ourselves to look at them that way. Our lives get so busy and hectic that we do not look at these obstacles as possible reasons for gratitude. We are accustomed to noticing what is broken, what still needs to be done and what we want but don’t have. To help teach children an attitude of gratitude play a game with them to try and find the hidden blessing in a difficult situation. Let your children know what you are grateful for and why you are grateful for them. Offer a reward to your child when they can turn a bad situation into a blessing. Work together as a family and find the silver lining around your cloud!
(Contributed by Michelle Princenthal )
Click here for an exercise for Gratitude
For Parents
Gratitude is simply a way of looking at things. We often learn true gratitude from the ones we feel sorry for. A homeless child can teach us to be grateful for having a home to live in, even if it isn’t our dream home. An ill person can teach us to be grateful for being able to go outside and take a walk or play. A person too sick to go outside was once noted as saying,” I can’t go out. I can’t run. I can’t be out there without fear of getting sick. But you know what? I appreciate that window more than you do…I look out that window every day. I notice the change in the trees, how strong the wind is blowing…I am drawn to nature like I’m seeing it for the first time." Children can be trained to search for a silver lining in any situation. Obstacles that get in the way of our gratitude may be golden opportunities if we allow ourselves to look at them that way. Our lives get so busy and hectic that we do not look at these obstacles as possible reasons for gratitude. We are accustomed to noticing what is broken, what still needs to be done and what we want but don’t have. To help teach children an attitude of gratitude play a game with them to try and find the hidden blessing in a difficult situation. Let your children know what you are grateful for and why you are grateful for them. Offer a reward to your child when they can turn a bad situation into a blessing. Work together as a family and find the silver lining around your cloud!
(Contributed by Michelle Princenthal )
Click here for an exercise for Gratitude
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