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A prayer for the Thanksgiving table

For the laughter of the children,
For my own life-breath,
For the abundance of food on this table,
For the ones who prepared this sumptuous feast,
For the roof over our heads,
The clothes on our backs,
For our health,
And our wealth of blessings,

For this opportunity to celebrate with family and friends,
For the freedom to pray these words
Without fear,
In any language,
In any faith,
In this great country,
Whose landscape is as vast and beautiful as her inhabitants.

Thank You, God, for giving us all these. Amen.

From “Talking to God: Personal Prayers for Times of Joy, Sadness, Struggle, and Celebration” (Alfred A. Knopf, New York); used with permission of the author, who is the spiritual leader of Nashuva in Los Angeles.

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