The essence of a Yid and his connection to his Creator is dependent on this midah of hakaras hatov. True hakaras hatov is recognition of the One and only Source of Goodness – which is Hashem. The more a person sees Hashem in his life, the more appreciation he will feel.
It shouldn’t take the loss of a loved one or a prominent figure to shake us back into this Godly reality, but sometimes we are given just that to remind us that we are only here for a limited amount of time and need to be making every day count.
When we say Adon Olam, we are reminded that we are not in control but that Hashem is in charge. He takes care of our every need with perfect precision – more perfect than we can possibly imagine. Almost makes you want to sing, doesn’t it…
The sun is rising, the birds are chirping; it’s a brand new day! A day filled with opportunity and excitement! Sure, it’s warmer under the covers… and I could always catch a later minyan…