Happy Thanksgiving.

Reflecting on these words this morning, in equal measure beautiful and profound:

“To pray is to regain a sense of the mystery that animates all beings,
the divine margin in all attainments.
Prayer is our humble answer to the inconceivable surprise of living.
It is all we can offer in return.
Who is worthy to be present at the constant unfolding of time?
Here we are admist the meditation of the land, the songs of the water, the humility of the flowers,
flowers wiser than all alphabets – 
Suddenly we feel embarrassed,
ashamed of our complaints and clashes in the face of tacit glory.
How strange we are in the world!
Only one response can maintain us:
gratefulness for the gift of our unearned chance to serve, to wonder, to love life and each other.
It is gratefulness which makes our small souls great.”

–Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Happy Thanksgiving. I am grateful for you!

P.S. An incredible prayer that still brings tears to my eyes — my father will be reading it at the Thanksgiving table later today. So special to celebrate with him, in person.

P.P.S. Another moving memory of my father reading a prayer on an important day, plus thoughts on “being bad at prayer.”

P.P.P.S. And if you feel like shopping…