Hodu LaHashem Kee Tov - II

I told you that I have many thoughts on the subject, so here's another....

The goyim choose one day a year, today, to be grateful and give thanks for what they have.
For us jews it is not a one day thing, but part of our daily avoda. We are after all, called jews, "yehudim". The root of yehudim is hodaa or thanks/appreciation.
Our daily nusach hatefilla is set up to focus on the concept of hakaras hatov. The first thing we do in the morning is thank Hashem for breathing life back into us after a night's sleep. We then go through our entire body thanking Hashem for the ability to see, stand, walk, have clothing on our backs. etc etc etc. In fact, according to nusach sefard, pesukai d'zimra begins with Hodu LaHashem. We go through this appreciation practice on a daily basis so that it becomes ingrained in us and becomes part of our nature. Unfortunately, ba'avonosainu harabim, the result is that we recite the blessings by rote and do not concentrate on what we are actually saying and doing.
We are thanking Hashem for the "little things" which we take for granted. The "little things" which are really the biggest things. Who wouldn't appreciate or be grateful for receiving five million dollars? Yet, although we don't take the time to appreciate our body parts, who among us would accept five million dollars in exchange for our eyes, our ears, our hands, our feet? Doesn't that make what we already have worth even more than five million dollars, EACH.

That being said, I want to say that what I am most grateful for is the health and awareness that Hashem granted me so that I can appreciate and recognize the most important things in my life.
My wonderful kids.