Your Daily Brush: A Joyful Song about Gratitude
Dear Friends,
As you may remember from earlier posts, gratitude is a powerful emotion. Research tells us that it can support our emotional well-being. The same is true for music.
Both gratitude and music are essential tools in your mental hygiene toolkit.
Many cultures and traditions around the world have gratitude practices. In today’s Your Daily Brush, I’d like to share a music video based on the traditional Hebrew morning prayer Modeh Ani, which means “Grateful am I.” This prayer is meant to be said upon waking.
In this video, the prayer has been expanded into a joyful song that lists various things to be grateful for, including food, clothing, parents and even our mistakes and challenges which help us grow.
I’m inspired to share this video because of the power of gratitude for our mental health and wellbeing and because of the joy one can see in singers.
The far-reaching relevance of this music can be seen in the comments on another version of this song, where people of Muslim and Christian faiths shared how deeply the song resonated with them.
Music transcends our human differences and reminds us of what we have in common with others. The same applies to gratitude, a universal emotion accessible to everyone. Even those who don’t follow a particular religion can nevertheless have an emotionally rich life through the regular practice of gratitude.
In addition to the video featuring these joyful women, I’ve included below the lyrics and translation, as well as a link to another version sung by Cantor Azi Schwarz, a classically trained vocalist who has been widely heard including in inter-faith settings.
Rx: Take a moment to connect with the synergy between gratitude and uplifting music. As you watch the video, or read the lyrics or listen to Cantor Schwarz, notice what speaks to you.
What evokes a sense of gratitude within you? Let yourself immerse in a feeling of gratitude.
If you like, you can even tally what is going well in your life, even in an imperfect world. The practice of gratitude is one of the ways you can plant seeds of hope in your life and in doing so, derive strength to carry on and keep caring for one another.
To your health!
Composer/Lyrics: Asaf Tzruya/ Avi Ohayon
Modeh ani kol boker (I offer my thanks to You every morning)
Shehehezarta et nishmati (For having returned my soul to me.)
Modeh ani al beged (I offer my thanks to You for clothes)
Shehenahta al gufi (that you have laid on my body)
Shelo yih'yeh li kar ata shomer alai (So that I will not be cold; You protect me.)
Modeh ani kol boker (I offer my thanks to You every morning)
Al ha-or al etzem heyoti (For the light, for the fact that I am alive)
Modeh ani al lehem (I offer my thanks for bread)
Shehenahta l’shulhani (that You have put on my table)
Shelo eh'yeh ra-av shelo eida k'ev (so that I won’t experience hunger, nor feel pain)
Al ein s’for hiyukhai modeh ani (I offer my thanks to You for countless smiles)
Al kol kishronotai v'al kol shirai (For all my talents and for all my songs)
V'al kol shirai et kulam akdish l’kha (and all of my songs are dedicated to You)
Da l’kha, da l’kha she-modeh ani l’kha (Know, know that I thank You)
Etzak l’kha adir shimkha eleikha ekra Yah (I will cry out to You, Your glorious name, I will call out to You)
L’kha hayai lekha libi v’todati (For You my life and my thanks)
Eleikha ekra Yah, eleikha ekra Yah (I will call out to Yah, I will call out to Yah.)
Modeh ani kol boker (I offer my thanks to You every morning)
Al kokhi, al avi v'al imi (For my strength, for my father and for my mother,)
Modeh ani al geshem shenatata besdotai (I offer my thanks for the rain You poured on my fields)
Lidog l'ohavai natata li hayi (to care for my loved ones; You gave me life.)
Al yom ha-m’nuha modeh ani (For the day of rest, I give thanks)
Al shefa u-berkha al ha-mishpakha (for abundance and blessing for my family)
Kol kuli rak b’zkut’kha (All that I am is because of You)
Da l’kha, da l’kha she-modeh ani l’kha ((Know, know that I thank You)
Etzak l’kha adir shimkha eleikha ekra Yah (I will cry out to You, Your glorious name, I will call out to You)
L’kha hayai lekha libi v’todati (For You my life and my thanks)
Eleikha ekra Yah, eleikha ekra Yah (I will call out to Yah, I will call out to Yah.)
Yai dai dai…
Al kol kishlonotai modeh ani (For all my failures, I give You thanks;)
Al akzavutai pahadai u-m’kshulai (for every letdown, fear, and setback,)
Hem kulam l’tovati (They are all for my good)
Ein aher b’livi rak l’kha modeh ani (There is no other in my heart; to You only I give thanks.)
Etzak l’kha adir shimkha eleikha ekra Yah (I will cry out to You, Your glorious name, I will call out to You)
L’kha hayai lekha libi v’todati (For You my life and my thanks)
Eleikha ekra Yah, eleikha ekra Yah (I will call out to Yah, I will call out to Yah.)