A Light Thank You

I need to put up something lighter for myself, so... enjoy the following:

• BrightLightSearch gives her thoughts on Thanksgiving from the West,

  Thanksgiving is Jewish. I want to set that straight. We call it the mitzvah of "ha karat ha tov," recognizing the good that is done for you. An illustration of it is that Moses did not personally start the plague that turned the Nile to blood, due to his gratitude that the river kept him alive when he was set adrift as an infant in a floating raft. The example may seem a bit extreme, but the fact we even tell that story shows how much gratitude is part of Jewish tradition.

• while Alleyways gives his from the East. Both are excellent.

  The first word out of a Jew's mouth in the morning is "Thanks". We don't say Ani Modeh but Modeh Ani. Maybe the reason is that we don't want to begin the day with the word "I" but with the word "thanks".

• Moshe finds some sunshine.

  Of course there are times when life seems sad. Everything appears dark. There’s a long tunnel ahead and there doesn’t seem to be any light at the end. The skies are dark and the sun is nowhere to be seen. We’ve all been there. But even through the worst days, there are things for which one can be grateful. During the worst hours, most people can close their eyes and search for a sunny ray of hope and happiness. Create your own sunshine. Be grateful and happy for any one of the following: family, friends, health, success, the ability to read, and the opportunity to laugh and to cry. (If none of these work – email me and we’ll find something else).

As soon as I finish up the last bits of work that get dumped on me right as I'm about to leave (of course), it's time to start cooking. We're having about 50 people tomorrow. :)