On Thanksgiving , let ’ s take the time to think about what we are grateful for .
Let us express our gratitude using these written words or our own .
We are thankful for freedom from hunger . We are thankful for the freedom to worship . We are thankful for the freedom to challenge our minds . We are thankful for the freedom to change our minds . We are thankful for the freedom to chart our lives . We are thankful for the freedom to work for a better world . We are thankful for the freedom to celebrate this day . We pray for our country , for the men and women who put their own lives on the line to heal our sick and protect our freedom . We pray for the day when this nation and the entire world will know health and peace .
Rabbi Ben Zoma said : Who is rich ? The one who appreciates what s / he has .
PIRKEI AVOT ( ETHICS OF THE FATHERS ) 4:1
We are genetically predisposed to pay more attention to the bad than the good . For sound biological reasons , we are hyper-alert to potential threats and dangers . It takes focused attention to become aware of how much we have to be grateful for .
RABBI LORD JONATHAN SACKS
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