My Yiddish “Grateful Diary”

My Yiddish “Grateful Diary” is an imaginary book in which I write all the wonderful things in my life for which I am thankful.

Each morning when I first awake my thoughts are of a beautiful rose and how some people say, “Yes, but roses have thorns.” Then I say, “Yes, but I think how lucky thorns are, for they have roses.”

My blessings start with that first phone call every morning to my daughter Debbie in Florida. Since it is 3 hours earlier, I start off the day on a real high. I wish every father would have a daughter like my Debbie. She is so upbeat!

Yiddish has brought me friendships from afar. Yesterday I spoke with Harold Goldstein of Fishkill, NY who turned 102 last August and is sharper than many 70 year-olds I know. He told me that at 100 he went sailing on the Hudson.

Then there are my regular Skype buddies in Winnipeg and Toronto. Sitting there in front of my screen, I feel that we are together in my living room. To this are the frequent phone calls to: New York; Washington DC area; Monroe Township, NJ; West Bloomfield, MI; Sarasota, West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, and Tamarac, (all in Florida) Phoenix, AZ; those wonderful, wonderful folks in the Cleveland area; and many in the Greater Los Angeles area.

Emails, emails, emails are my major means of hearing your wonderful stories and just shmuesing.

With a wonderful wife, Sally, my dear friends in the blind community, and those at Peninsula Sinai Congregation, my cup doth truly run over.

My severe loss of vision is a mixed blessing. I get and extra $600 tax deduction. People chauffeur me around, and there is the free bus pass.

Hey, Fishl, what about all those bad things that happen to you like everyone else?

Yes, they are challenges to be overcome. Those for which no one can do anything about are accepted just like accepting the nightfall as a time to do nothing but sleep and not being able to do exciting things.

So, my Yiddish “Gratedful Diary”, you finally got me to write in your “Book of Gratitudes”.

Remember to smile, it takes the pressure off your teeth.