Elul 10/August 25

Being Thankful

One must consider all of the good that the Blessed Creator has done from birth to
today, and be thankful for all of this good.  One [must also know all the times] when
Mitzvot have not been done.  And one must weight the punishment for the sin against the
sweetness of the transgression, and the reward of the good against the suffering in this
world, as our sages have said, “Reckon the loss of a mitzvah against its reward, and the
reward of a transgression against its loss” (Pirkei Avot 2:1).
From Orchot Hatzadikim, an anonymous 16th Century text
 
Life is about balance.  We all have things about which we are thankful, and about which
we are sorry.  The key is to try to keep the ratio of thankful to sorry in favor of the
thankful side.  The way to make this happen is by doing things for others.  When we
perform gemilut chasadim, acts of loving kindness, we are setting the scale more and
more in favor of thankfulness.  When we give of ourselves we get something back as
well.  It makes us feel great to help others.  That wonderful feeling is the sensation of the
scale tipping toward the side of Mitzvot.