There is probably no character trait less appreciated than gratitude. But paradoxically, gratitude is essential to our health and well-being. Hence: “If you aren’t grateful for what you already have, what makes you think you would be happy with more?” (Roy T. Bennett, inspirational writer)
Put another way, if there is no gratitude, there is no joy. And if there is no joy, oy.
So as the Amidah begins coming to a close, it is highly appropriate to not just “sum it up,” but to detail what it is for which we should be thankful. The prayer says, “We gratefully acknowledge You by rendering Your praises, for our lives, which are in your hands, and for our souls, which are entrusted to you, and for your miracles that are with us each day, and for the wonders and goodness at all times…”.
The sequence here is worth noting: our lives, our souls, daily miracles, continual goodness. We begin with that with which we are most familiar, the most particular and most concrete—our lives. Then we thank G-d for something still particular, but more abstract, our souls. Then, something that is beyond our individual horizon, both less particular and still more abstract—the miracles that G-d performs. And finally we recognize that which is not at all particular and more abstract still—the wonders and goodness that permeate the world at all times.
There is a fascinating reciprocal relationship between the psychology of prayer (how we reach out from ourselves into the world) and the theology of prayer (where we start with G-d and try to explain how we get from the Divine to us). We start with a world suffused with G-d’s goodness—a powerful assertion in itself. This is then manifested in individual miracles, and then in our eternal souls. And, finally, in our own mortal lives.
Think about it: our own lives as the “cherry on top” of a Divine sundae!
Who knew?
And what are we going to do about it?
These are the questions the Amidah asks us 3 times a day.