Gratitude and the Fragility of Life
As the Teeter-Totter Swings
Like the teetering balance of a see-saw, life is always throwing us the ups and downs. This morning, I woke to tragic news of the death of a friend’s brother. As if the death of a beloved brother isn’t enough (which I know and carry with me always), it was also the weekend of this friend’s daughter’s wedding. The teeter-totter of life has struck this family in one of the most painful, unimaginable ways.
It is so challenging at times like this to fully embrace the “attitude of gratitude” — and I’m o.k. with that. When I read this message from Rabbi Joshua Lesser in Atlanta, it gave me encouragement to reflect on the fragility of life and its connection to gratitude.
In the embrace, acknowledgment and practice of gratitude, I know that we move forward. As Joshua Lesser says, “Gratitude is my greatest life line.” He shared today about the edges being frayed — the same metaphor I use when I think of gratitude as the most precious golden thread woven into the entire fabric of my life.
I have known the grief of losing a brother. I have known the grief of many different kinds of losses. And I cherish both the memories and the depth of pain associated with each loss — because it reminds me of the value of deep human connection. And in that connection lives goodness, and love, and…
