Brochos

A Simple Jew asked and got a response the other day about whether one's emunah (faith) shines through when saying a brocha (blessing). It made me think about brochos and my relationship to them in general. My initial thought about brochos is about receiving them, and how much I really like it when someone gives me a brocha, no matter what language it's in. Any person that invokes G-d to bless me is my friend. I am often jealous when I am in the home of someone for Shabbos and they give their children a brocha and I don't get one (though my old roommate used to give me beautiful ones to compensate). I love Birkas Cohanim, because standing there in front of all the Cohanim, with my head down, knowing that the verses they are saying are meant to be a blessing unto me just touches my soul and makes me feel special, regardless of the fact that the entire congregation is receiving the same blessing. I am not sure what power these brochos actually have, but I do know they have the power to make me feel blessed. So does my emunah shine through when I recite a brocha? Unfortunately, because I say so many of them, so many times a day, it's often hard to remember to step back and really think about what I am doing when I make a brocha over each piece of food I put in my mouth. It's hard to stop and really concentrate on the words I am saying. But I do say those brochos. I do hesitate, if even for a second, to thank Hashem for the things I eat, after using the restroom, in the morning. I often use the words "Thank G-d" in conversations with other people when I speak of situations that turned out well. I do think of Hashem daily in my life, and in that way, I think that my emunah does shine through, even if it isn't as deeply and meaningfully as I would like. I would like to think my emunah is stronger than those brochos I make. And I hope that the fact that I love receiving brochos so much compensates in some way to show that I do have that emunah, that faith. Because if I didn't believe in them, and have emunah in Hashem, then those brochos wouldn't mean that much, I don't think. I hope I soon manage to put as much importance on making brochos as I do in receiving them. The fact that we can thank Hashem and show our faith in Him in so many otherwise mundane tasks during our daily life does elevate us and remind us what life is about. Brochos are a gift to us in so many ways. And just like gifts - both giving and receiving them can mean so much.