Count Your Blessings and Make Your Blessings Count!

When life throws you a lemon, make a bracha!

Stop, think, and thank!

How many brachos would you say we recite each day? One hundred or so? How many times when we say one do we stop and think what we're saying? Or think of the meaning of the words?
Ever since early childhood, we are taught to say a bracha before eating or drinking anything. Since we've been doing it for years, we tend to take them for granted. We recite them without meaning. Without thought. Without purpose and appreciation.
The follow short story demontrates for us how much we must value each and every single bracha. Perhaps we may become inspired to think before each bracha. And perhaps we will one day come to realize just how infinitely great each bracha is.

There was a righteous widow in the city of Brisk that suffered tremendous hardships, paralized and left immobalized in bed without being able to move a limb. The Rov of Brisk, the famous Mahari"l Diskin, arranged for her to be fed, as well as paid a woman to clean and change her daily.
Once, before Yom Tov, the Mahari"l Diskin went to visit the widow - to give her a bracha in honor of the Yom Tov.
"I have come to give you a bracha - a bracha for a happy Yom Tov!" the Mahari"l Diskin happily exclaimed.
"Rebbi," the widow responded, "I only have one request - to bless me to merit an extended, long life!"
Surprised and bewildered, the Mahari"l Diskin thought to himself, "Has this poor woman not suffered enough? She sits in bed like a stone, unable to move an inch. She cannot even recite brachos because her body isn't clean - and she wants to live a long life? What pleasure can she possible gain from a life such as this?"
Recognizing his confusion, the widow explained, "I ask for long life because each day, a woman comes to clean and wash me. In the moment immediately thereafter, when I am clean for just a short time, I am finally able to recite a bracha ... once a day! Tell me - is it not worthwhile to live all day in my state of pain in order to merit to say a single bracha before the Creator?!"

Each time I think of this story, tears swell in my eyes.
Would we ever think of such a lofty, holy thought if we were in such a position?
Would we ever accept immense pain - a life in utter helplessness - for a single, daily bracha?
And then to request for it to continue in such fashion!
What sacrifice!
What infinite righteousness!
What everlasting joy such a person gives to Hashem!
Everlasting merit in the World to Come!
What if we thought to ourselves that each bracha we say will be the only one we can today?
Would it not be that much more meaningful?
Would it not be said with more concentration and contemplation?
Would we not recite it with deep emotion and care?
Let us remember this story each time we are about to fill our mouths with food - and then fill our mouths with praise of Hashem!
"Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-D and King of the Universe ..." - how great indeed You are!

Say to yourself  ten times today:
"I can never thank You for everyting You give me! Thank you, thank you!"