Marking the Miracles

            A few weeks ago, the weather finally turned towards winter.  It was the first brutally cold December day and the snow began to fall for the first time.   “Oy,” was all I could think.  I had enjoyed the warm fall weather, the coatless days, and the changing of the colors.  The meteorologists all expected a winter filled with huge snowfalls and I dreaded the impending storms.  “Not again!” 

            As the snow began to pick-up, Caleb and I left home to go pick-up some food from the grocery store.  I was shivering from the cold and depressed by the first snow fall.  Yet, Caleb was all joy.  “Look Abba, look at the snow!”  He was running around in circles and trying to catch snowflakes on his tongue.  He was the happiest I had seen him all day.  “Cool, Abba, it’s so cool!”  It was at that moment, I realized how miraculous it was that it snowed that day.  It was after all, the first snowfall of the season!  How many days of snow would we receive this year?  A dozen perhaps, give or take a few days.  It was a blessing, a miracle!

            I looked at Caleb and told him that this was a Shehechiyanu Moment.  This was a special moment where we should thank God for the miracle of snow.  Together, we recited the blessing, thanking God that we were able to reach this moment together.  Afterwards, I grabbed his hand and the two of us spun around outside on our lawn catching snowflakes on our tongues.

            Just a few weeks ago, Rabbi Paul Kipnes visited Temple Sinai to share some insights from his new book “Jewish Spiritual Parenting.”  One of the best lessons he provided me was our responsibility as parents and mentors to teach our kids how to be grateful.  A perfect approach to move towards gratitude was to mark all of the blessings in our lives.  Taking a moment each and every day to recite the Shehecheyanu teaches us (and our kids) to “thank” God for all of the gifts of life.

            Caleb reminded me to look at the positive and I taught him to be thankful for the blessings of life!  As the cold and the snow begin to beat down upon us, may we reflect upon our bounty and our joy.  Wishing us all a wonderful winter season!