There is an old story about two very competitive classmates at an Ivy League college. For four years they jockey with each other to see who can get better grades, lead more organizations and collect more invitations to various parties and societies.
As often happens, even though so much of their college careers are defined by their relationship to each other, soon after graduation they lose touch. That is until, many years later, when one of the students, who became a well-known and respected community leader, takes his family to the circus.
Sitting in the front row, right next to the center ring, the scion of society is shocked to realize that between the lion tamer and the trapeze artists and right after the conga line of trained elephants, he sees his old comrade, dressed in coveralls and sweeping up after the performing pachyderms.
Completely caught by surprise, he is unable to look away when their eyes meet. Excitedly, the circus worker bounds towards the side of the ring and they catch up on everything that has happened since graduation. The gentleman who is visiting the circus is able to tell stories about graduate school and professional success and world travel. His friend is equally excited about telling about his life cleaning up after the circus animals as they also travel from city to city.
Finally, unable to control himself, the community leader asks his odoriferous friend, “Haven’t you ever thought about getting another job?” To which his former foil replies, “What, and leave show business?”
Which seems like a good way to start a discussion about gratitude. After all, I would guess that each of our lives have certain elements that look like that of the respected and successful community leader, and other features that more closely resemble sweeping up after circus animals. The question is always: how do we choose to see our situation?
In the Jewish tradition, there is a practice called Hakarat HaTov, or recognizing the good. And to engage in Hakarat HaTov, it has to be seen as a practice and not just an idea or a concept. It often requires concerted and intentional effort to turn our attention towards the gifts in our lives and to see the challenges as secondary. Nevertheless, turning towards gratitude is a shockingly powerful tool to improve our quality of life.
There is a Hassidic teaching from a work called “Divre Shaul,” written by Rabbi Yoseph Shaul Natansohn in 19th century Poland which points out that in the Book of Genesis, when the Egyptian handmaiden, Hagar, despairs in the wilderness, God opens her eyes and she realizes that there was water nearby the entire time.
Similarly, in the Book of Exodus, after the Israelites cross the Sea of Reeds, they panic because they don’t know how to find fresh water to drink. In response, God shows Moses a piece of wood lying close at hand that can be used to sweeten the brackish water around them. The Divre Shaul’s point is that, so often, when we are faced with a challenge, if we are able to turn our attention towards the gifts that surround us, we are able to find a solution within easy reach.
Every day presents us with an array of decisions, opportunities and challenges. Engaging in Hakarat HaTov, or turning towards gratitude helps us to recognize the resources in our lives that provide us with support, strength, satisfaction and the ability to choose wisely when problems arise.
It is my hope that the holiday of Thanksgiving will be a refresher course for each of us as we surround ourselves with friends and family and we remind ourselves of everything that we have to celebrate, even though there are still probably parts of each of our lives that feel a little like cleaning up after the elephants in the circus. May it be a wonderful time for all of us.
About Rabbi Eric M. Rosin
Rabbi Eric Rosin began his professional career as an attorney in Los Angeles serving the entertainment industry, but discovered he needed to be doing something he was passionate about. He left the practice of law and began studying for ordination at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles. After ordination, Rabbi Rosin served for two years as the assistant rabbi of Temple Beth-El in Richmond, Va., then assumed the pulpit at Kesher Israel Congregation in West Chester, Pa. in 2004.
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