A Hanukkah Gratitude Practice – Day Two

I woke this morning to the softly lit glow of freshly fallen snow reflecting into our bedroom (which still doesn’t have blinds … we just moved!). Had it not been 4:45 AM, I might have remembered to say Modeh Ani — the statement of gratitude spoken upon first awakening in Jewish tradition.

מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶיךָ רוּחַ חַי וְקַיָּם שֶׁהֶחֱזַרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי בְּחֶמְלָה רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ

Thankful am I before you, everlasting spirit of life, who returns to me my soul in mercy. How great is your faithfulness.

Well, I may have forgotten it this morning, but I can say it now. Never too late!

Which brings me to my Hanukkah gratitude practice. This year, I’m trying to do my small part of expanding holiness into the world through expressing accumulating gratitude each day of the holiday.

Today is day two of Hanukkah. So, two things that as a father I am grateful for this year:

1. I’m grateful for Mama Bear Abby, my wife and mother of my child, who pushes me to become a better father and husband every day, even (especially) when I may be resistant to it. She’s a stellar mama and just keeps getting better.

2. I’m grateful for our first pup, Norman Jellybean — who taught us what it means to be obligated to another being’s life and to love such a being unconditionally — and is the best big puppy brother we could ask for.