“If the only prayer you say throughout your life is “Thank You,” then that will be enough.”

• Elie Wiesel

“Whenever someone tells you that you’re supposed to hate the other - let your response be love. Only love.” 

• Rabbi Sarah Bassin 

“Love yourself. Then forget it. Then, love the world.”

• Mary Oliver 

“When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.”

- Abraham Joshua Heschel

Some people find writing what they are grateful for in a journal helps them to be more mindful of where they can express their thanks in their daily lives. 

Here are a few questions to get you started:

• What is one simple joy or pleasure you have experienced in the past week? 
• Who is a person in your life that you are grateful for?
• What is something you are proud of? 
• Look out your door or window, what in nature makes you smile? 
• What is a tradition that has been supportive for you?

Our Jewish tradition invites us to find moments of gratitude everywhere. From the mundane but powerful experiences of eating and of waking up each morning, to witnessing the wonders of nature, reaching milestones and surviving difficult moments - there’s a Jewish way to reflect.

The following clips are sourced from: My Jewish Learning, Reform Judaism, and Sefaria (compiled)

had you-i been given but seconds
in this unreal reality,
and the ten-thousand things not made themselves
known to me-you, daiyenu,

had the ten-thousand things made themselves
known to me-you, and your-my blood not thudded
circuitously, stubbornly, daiyenu,

had your-my blood thudded
circuitously, stubbornly,
and these atoms not stayed gathered
into matter as me-you, daiyenu,

had these atoms stayed gathered into matter
as me-you, and you-i not been born
earthly entity, daiyenu,

had you-i been born earthly entity, and these lungs
not breathed me-you, daiyenu,

had these lungs breathed me-you,
and you-i not strengthened
from struggling, daiyenu,

had you-i strengthened from struggling, and the
time-space web not caught me-you, daiyenu,

had the time-space web caught me-you,
and you-i not made manifest
believed-in possibility, daiyenu,

had you-i made manifest
believed-in possibility, and never felt faith
inside me-you, daiyenu,

had you-i felt faith inside me-you,
and not lost ego-identity, daiyenu,

had you-i lost ego-identity, and not detached from a
conceptually separate me-you, daiyenu,

had you-i detached from a
conceptually separate me-you,
and never found inner tranquility, daiyenu,

had you-i found inner tranquility, and never let
angel-death tongue-kiss me-you, daiyenu,

had you-i let angel-death tongue-kiss me-you, and
not answered with reciprocity, daiyenu,

had you-i answered with reciprocity,
and not still vibrated energy for eternity,
had you-i been given but seconds in this unreal
reality, had it all been arbitrary,
had it all been but a word,

a breath,
a blink,
a touch,
a grace,
a pulse,
a truth,
daiyenu,
daiyenu,
Daiyenu.

There is an eternal essence that persists in time and space —

and this is our prayer to make it part of our awareness 

by affirming its persistence and pledging ourselves 

to act to advance the promise it holds of a better world; 

may it be soon and in our days. Amen.

Let the great essence be blessed through all our actions!

Whether it be blessed or praised or honored or exalted, 

we affirm that it is far beyond any expression which we use to describe it — 

prayer or song, prose or poem — and we say: Amen

We express our hopes for peace and for life upon us and upon all people. Amen.

May the harmony we experience as we gaze toward heaven 

be reflected in a harmony between all who dwell on the planet: 

Israelite, Ishmaelite, and all creatures upon this holy earth, and we say: Amen.

-by Rabbi David Cooper

Clip source: The Shomer Collective

This secular prayer is intended to celebrate the ordinary and cherished existence of the person who has died (rather than the celebration of faith to a deity). It is offered as a non-religious alternative to the traditional Kaddish prayer so that a secular person might recite it in good conscience, finding solace in reverence for life. 

We celebrate the spark which illuminates life and fades at death, and we accept this great mystery.

In this world that is created new with each sunrise, we open the robe of [   's] existence,

crafted of fabric woven from every ordinary day, with innumerable pockets sheltering all the

moments and purposes that comprise a full life. A robe embellished with joys and accomplishments, made shiny at the seat by sharing life's table, frayed at the cuffs by sorrows,

worn at the elbows from the labors of living.

May remembering [    ] be a blessing.

May the humor, common sense, and skills that [    ] honed in life remain a contribution to the family and the community. And may [   's] mistakes and challenges be remembered so that

the wisdom earned from their lessons learned will also stay with us. 

May remembering [    ] be a blessing.

In this world where [    ] learned, labored, and loved may their existence continue to radiate goodness, and may the things [    ] created be put to use and appreciated.

May remembering [    ] be a blessing.

May our hearts beat steadily together in the rhythm of life as we remember [    ] in the fullness of themself, and release [    ] now in love.   

May remembering [    ] be a blessing to all.

-by Dina Stander

Clip source: The Shomer Collective

It’s customary to tear one’s garment or a ribbon at the funeral to signify who is in mourning. As we end the week of shiva, we take a moment to put that garment back together. Like our hearts in this moment, our garment will always bear the mark of its tearing, but with this intention, we begin the process of sewing ourselves together. 

Source of Wholeness, as I tore this garment when my

loved one died, so now I prepare to baste/sew the

tear back together.

This garment will never be the same as it was before

I tore it in the first expression of my shock and grief.

I don’t need a visible reminder of my loss. My life

will go on and it will never be the same without my

beloved.

This mending symbolizes that I put my trust in the One

Who Heals.

May each stitch bring acceptance. May each stitch bring

me closer to a sense of the Oneness of All.

-by Rabbi Janet Madden

—

Originally published in Laments & Kavannot for The Journey, produced for Kavod V’Nichum’s annual North America Chevra Kadisha Conference and shared with author’s permission.

Clip source: The Shomer Collective