"Without gratitude what is life"

Without gratitude what is life ?

Good is blurred with the cataract of strife

All that is seen gives reason to complain

So what sits at the forefront is discomfort and pain

Life seems like nothing but dark tunnel vision

With each day making it"s debilitating incision

But the moment we choose to see life as a gift

Everything that was begins to shift

Expectation transforms into appreciation

The blessing of a new day ,a reason for elation

When it hits home that nothing is a foregone conclusion

We start to see the difference between enduring joy and illusion

The smallest things in life revealed as huge

Blessing and miracles become a daily deluge

For they were always around for us to see

As soon as we allowed gratitude to set us free.

Israel-no longer a dream

Israel today no longer a dream

All Exile is ,is blowing off steam

For 2000 years there was many a scream

As in the Desert G-d's word was taken bad

So the children of Israel didn't see what they had

It has taken too long for our eyes to see

That in Israel we belong to truly be free

So time for the dream to go upstream

And Israel to continually be more than they seem

Time for us to stand as one man one heart

Understanding that the best is yet to start

Never forget( remembering the 6 million)

So many of you died on the pyres of world hate

In the nazi darkness because the world did no more than wait

By the time the nations awoke for you it was too late

We cannot forgive them for closing their gate

Clear is the lesson that Jews have no friend

As always with the Jew do their morals bend

From the fires of destruction we built a state

That said no more to other nations dictating our fate

A state that has always known trouble and battle

For it irks the world that we are no longer cattle

But a nation eternal that against all prediction

Survives all the giants who wished her eviction

We will never forget those millions we lost

how tragic and terrible the horrific cost

We will live as a nation eternal standing tall with pride

For our enemies now know it is they that should hide

I am not Breslev, Chabad or Dati Leumi

I continue the tradition of Avraham HaIvri

I am not Belz , Vishnitz, Gur or Satmar

I choose "One man as One Heart" at the foot of the Har

I am not Litivish , Yeshivish,Chardal or Chareidi

I keep it simple and clear leaving no one as a maybe

I am not Modern Orthodox or Open Orthodox

I choose our Traditions Eternal , not the trends ,not even the lox

I am not traditional or secular or free for all

I choose purpose and meaning a reason to stand tall

I am just a Jew with Torah as my light

Leaving G-d to decide when and how others light will shine bright

See the Jew always and not the label

Then maybe Redemption will come willing and able

Hug each moment

Live life as if each day is a new lease on life

Look past people's issues and masks

We all have our inner wars no matter our tasks

Always look for the greatness and goodness in people despite any challenging choices

Life is too precious to live in ego's tantalizing distraction

Never wait for the bad to realize what you have and had

Hug each moment and each loved one with passionate gratitude

Live Life as if everything and everyone is a miracle

and Let the blessing of your light make day of darkest night

This New Day

What a privilege it is to open my eyes each day

Never a guarantee but always my mainstay

To find myself in the might of new day's light

Excites within me the fight to reach a new height

I will not excuse myself out of this day's hope

And will climb with passion no matter how steep the slope

If G-d has chosen me to be in this new day

No matter what I face I will make headway

I will open my heart to feel the blessing and miracle

And engage myself fully to to reach the day's pinnacle

Through a lens of Divinely forged gratitude and joy

I will, with humble awe embrace this day with full deploy