Living With Thanksgiving: My Dad and Denzel Washington

Living With Thanksgiving: My Dad and Denzel Washington
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My father, Rabbi Herbert Cohen, and Denzel Washington both grew up in Mt. Vernon, NY. Little did I know that they also share an abiding faith in God and zest for living rooted in an ever present appreciation for the fragility of life. They both understand that living with uncertainty is a key to living inspired.

My father is one of the most grateful people I know. Whenever I ask him how he is doing, he responds, "Thank God!" with gusto. He sees every day with renewed mission and purpose. Recently, I asked him about how he stays "high" on life.

He responded with an insight of one of his mentors, Rabbi Jacob Rabinowitz, whose wisdom shaped his outlook on life. When the Biblical figure Jacob faces a reunion with his brother, he is anxious about the impending meeting and prepares simultaneously for peace and war. He prays to the Divine for assistance by saying, "I am diminished from all of my kindnesses." He acknowledges that he may no longer be deserving of God's grace and asks for God's mercy. My father explained that Jacob lived with uncertainty. He never believed that he was owed anything by God. When we live with a sense of healthy insecurity, we relish life's blessings. How can we not be filled with gratitude?

My father lives with this message. So does Denzel Washington. In an interview, the Academy award winning actor shared that he always carries a tattered notebook with him. He never wants to forget the list he maintained of job leads when he was looking for his first break in the business. In a recent speech, Denzel suggested, "Give thanks for blessings every day. Every day. Embrace gratitude. Encourage others. It is impossible to be grateful and hateful at the same time."

When Denzel concluded his speech, he ended with a prayer that he frequently uses when speaking to groups. "I pray that you put your slippers way under your bed at night so that when you wake up in the morning you have to start on your knees to find them. And while you are down there, say "thank you."

Living inspired stems from an awareness that life can change in an instant.

How do we live with Thanksgiving every day? Take nothing for granted. Do no assume you are owed anything. Do not live with a sense of entitlement. We are here by the grace of God. Let's remember to celebrate Thanksgiving each and every day!

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