Though this value didn't arrive exactly on Thanksgiving, it did come 5 days before Thanksgiving and that's good enough for me! So here's a list of things I could complain about: occasional bodily discomfort, lack of sleep, too much homework, the inconvenience of taking lactase before dairy, etc. But rather than that, I'd rather share the following list with you.
Every year, I write in my diary a list of things I'm thankful for. I call it "My Annual 'Thankful For...' List":
- A free country that allows me to express my religion, personality, and opinions
- Schools that have always provided me with the education I deserve and teachers who have pushed me to be my best
- A supportive family: loving parents, a great brother, and cousins all over the place
- The existence of a Jewish state that, no matter how troubled, continues to fight and prove itself
- A functional body
- The ability to see colors
- Friends of all types who have helped me grow and have given me wonderful memories
- Material things that keep me comfortable
- A mind to think for myself
- People who fight for the countries I love
- The ability to dance and [to an extent] sing
Day 326: Shiva, the Final Act of Gratitude
I'm not a supporter or people who don't sit shiva for a whole week. It bothers me. The way I see it, the person we're all gathered to mourn has had an impact on us (whether positive or negative, it doesn't really matter). Their impact has been large enough for us to take a chunk of time out of our lives to devote to their memory through visiting their loved ones, attending their funeral, or just thinking about them after their death.
This is why I don't understand why, especially for parents, children would not sit shiva for a week. Our parents have given us everything from the moment we were born, why can't we take the time out of our lives to give back to them and to honor their memory?
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