Yesterday, my dog, Yofi, woke me by jumping on my face. Dog toenail digging into my skin. No blood, but certainly not the greatest way to greet the day. He did it because he had to go outside, of course. So, I did the early morning shuffle: throwing on some clothing, finding the leash, putting on my jacket, shoving my gloves on the wrong hands, stepping outside. And then I gasped.
The sky glowed an outrageous pink-orange-purple over an indigo backdrop. Colors straight out of a Crayola box for children, to imagine a world brighter than reality. Surreal shades that stir awe and gratitude even in the most cynical among us. Rendered speechless, I uttered the words of our tradition:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית
Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Haolam, oseh ma’asei b’reishit.
Praised are you, Adonai our God, source of eternity, who sustains the wonders of creation.
The sky kept my phone in my pocket and my earbuds tucked away. I watched the colors evolve, a Technicolor® wonder with a Dolby®-like soundtrack of birds flocking through windblown branches. I walked present in the moment, feeling the road under my feet, hearing the jingle of Yofi’s dog tags, breathing crisp air as leaves danced around my ankles. Gratitude welled up inside me, a gratitude I hope to carry through this Thanksgiving weekend and, God willing, beyond.
May all of us stumble upon joyful surprises that lift prayerful words of gratitude to our lips as we stand surrounded by the wonders of our world and the people we love.
Happy Thanksgiving.
