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I have never said grace in my life, and since age 12 have left the table when others were going to. I will never do so, I'd rather just miss the meal.

Please don't try to make me perform a religious rite just to eat with you.

I do for every meal. If I'm at home with family we do it out loud, but usually it's a silent expression of gratitude.

I do not say a blessing or grace, because as an atheist, that just doesn't make any sense. Instead, we toast our friends and family if there is a special occasion, but meals or drinking events are never surrounded by prayer of any kind. We were at a wedding yesterday and it was interesting to see which tables had bowed heads before the meal. The groom's very religious parents held hands with their tablemates and said a lengthy prayer, and our table was already clinking our alcoholic beverages with each other and passing rolls. Quite a contrast, especially because the tables were directly next to each other.

I'm not much one for public religious displays, but yeesh. Most of them take less than 15 seconds, so unless they're praying out hellfire and damnation there's not much reason to get upset just because someone at your table is doing a blessing.

I have one friend who says grace before every meal, and I simply wait while he prays, and then we go on and eat the meal as if nothing happened.

It's about the same level of politeness as waiting to dig into your plate until everyone has been served. A tiny momentary inconvenience, but it's worth it to be kind.

Now, if someone is saying their blessing in some sort of passive aggressive way I surely understand leaving, but that sort of behavior is not very common.

But is saying a few words over a meal in gratitude or appreciation always a religious activity? Personally, I don't think so. You can thank the farmer who grew the potatoes, the 18-wheel truck driver who hauled them or the grocer guy who piled them into a pyramid. You can even thank your lucky stars, or just spend a few seconds appreciating how good or beautiful or at the very least belly-filling your next activity is.

Before every meal or snack. Some days its long others its very short.

Dana V - my thoughts exactly.

I'm not a big god believer - but food doesn't magically appear on my plate. There are a lot of people who put work into that food being on my plate, and right before I eat it isn't a bad time to be grateful. It's not bad to acknowledge that and teach your kids to acknowledge that as well.

Before every meal. I'm unabashedly religious and because I believe that God has provided the food in front of me, I consider it a pleasure to thank him, whether it's with my family, by myself at work, or out at a restaurant alone or with friends.

I am not religious, so I do not say grace. However, whenever eating with friends or loved ones, we always toast our beer to something - whether it is "to Friday," "to friends" or "to evil." Actually, the more creative the better.

To me this seems like a ritual of giving thanks, though for the beer as much as for the food. I live in a place that is strongly rooted in the history of beer, and most of the people I know are beer nerds if not home brewers.

Never. No thank you.

Almost always---I find it comforting and soothing to slow down, take a deep breath and pray.

I grew up doing this but somehow stopped when I stopped having normal sit down meals at a table. Now my daughter is starting solids and we are trying to remember to say grace before our meals. We believe that our food (and everything good) is a gift from God. It's nice to remember to not take things for granted.

Saying "thank you" for the food on your table isn't a religous activity unless you (or the people you're with) make it one. It's just a way of acknowledging how fortunate we are to have a table of food to eat when there are others going hungry.
I'd be interested to know what you anti-gracers out there think of the grace my (atheist) mother created for us. We grew up in a VERY religous town and school prayer was common, especially before meals. This let us participate in the ritual without having to participate in their religons.

"Food gathered from hills and streams, plants grown under bright sunbeams, Corn and grain, milk and meat, here on our table, thank you, let's eat!"

PS-if you want an idea HOW religous our town was, Peter Jennings picked it as the "most religous town in America" on a tv feature 5 years ago or so. Seems 98% of the town goes to church every Sunday. Of the 2% that didn't attend every week? Yeah, we accounted for 0.5% of it. LOL So I get where you all are, feeling forced to participate in religous rituals you don't agree with. Spent 6 years of my life doing so!

great post.

i see both sides of this issue. when around anyone actually praying to some god at a meal, especially when they are eating dead animals, i feel like i'm among fools. when i'm with those who are just appreciative of the food, i'm moved. if you acknowledge the love and energy that goes into your food, you are more likely to experience its healing effects and use it for the greater good. you may even grow in awareness that we are one with all that is.

I wouldn't impose this outside family, but I think it's a sweet tradition.

There's a line in a William Carlos Williams poem where he's at a diner and he sees a group of nuns saying grace over their meals, and in the poem says to himself, "there is nothing to eat, seek it where you will, but of the body of the Lord." (may not be exactly right).

I'm not a religious person, but I like the sentiment in that statement.

No, nor talk to burning bushes, or sacrifice a goat or....

My fiancé and I say grace before supper. He's got a traditional grace from his family, and I've got one from mine, so we say either one, depending on whose house we're at. At the wedding, I think we'll say both blessings, and have people join in if they know either one.

I pray over every meal: a quick bow of the head and a silent "thanks". When we have big family gatherings, someone will be invited to give a prayer aloud over the food. Everyone is welcome to participate or not, depending on his own preferences.

Walking out of the room when a prayer is given seems unspeakably rude.

We normally say traditional things like "for what we are about to receive, may we be truly thankful" but also add in things like "help us to be kind to each other, especially when it is hard" ect. I normally address family issues. "help us to remember to pick up our toys" "remind us to love each other".

Just a calm time, a quiet beginning to a meal.

I also think it is VERY rude to walk out on a prayer. All you have to do is sit quietly. Surely you are thankful that a meal has been prepared for you. just think thankful thoughts.

@foxconfessor: On the other side of things, I find it rude for people to pray at a table I am sharing with them. Wouldn't you get up from a table and walk away if someone was forcing you to listen to what you consider offensive? I can't imagine anyone letting it slide if others were saying something rude about gender or race. I find prayer offensive, thus I remove myself from the area when prayer is present, so that I am not forced to let someone assail my ears with something that horrifies me. I think it is pretty rude when people just start praying in front of me at the table without any consideration to how I might feel about it and without giving me a chance to bow out before they begin. By simply "thinking thankful thoughts," I am still forced to listen to to someone include me in something I refuse to be included in. By not removing myself in protest and refusing to participate, I would essentially be supporting others' prayer by inaction, which I would feel is being irresponsible on my part and untrue to myself.

I'm with reddylee on this one. I think that if you're in "mixed" company where you don't know the religious feelings of people around you, then you can pray silently to yourself.

I'll pause if someone says a blessing, but it had better be short and sweet - don't expect me to bow my head. I think it's in bad taste to ostentatiously pray when not everyone in the company adheres to your particular belief system.

I think walking out on a prayer is about as silly as forcing someone to pray.

You don't pray? Then at my house, just sit there and be quiet. It's not about you or making you feel comfortable/uncomfortable. It's about me taking a moment to thank God for my food and for those who prepared the meal, etc.
To leave the room is rather harsh. I also would not force anyone to participate in my grace. Just have enough respect at least for me to sit quietly.

I think when it's at *your* house then that's a different story. When you invite people to your home a reasonable person would expect to do things "your way".

Out of curiosity...
Why are so many of the ones who don't pray, so cynical about it??
I saw someone saying something about not talking to burning bushes, etc. REALLY?? You found that was necessary??

@Sleek1: I am not just someone who doesn't pray. I'm against prayer. There's a difference. If I was someone who just simply didn't pray, perhaps I wouldn't have the issues with it. Some people don't pray or believe in a higher power, but also don't care if someone else does. I do care. I'm not just an atheist, I'm an anti-theist. The two aren't mutually exclusive. So why be cynical about it? Because it makes me angry and it makes me sad and it makes me frustrated and the absurdity of it makes me laugh! Sarcasm and cynicism help work people like me off the ledge when thinking about this stuff running rampant in the world. Not speaking for all, but for me, it's just a way to exemplify how silly pray is in my opinion and how I'm a mixture of appalled and amused by it all.

Wow, I wonder the same thing Sleek1. Why would a simple prayer ever be considered offensive? Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs weather it be religious or political etc. You can choose to participate or not but everyone should be polite enough to wait just as you would for everyone to be served.

My bf and I pray at every meal, if we are in a group we just let everyone know that we are going to pray (for us thank God for what he has provided), don't feel any pressure to participate but also feel welcome to.

Growing up, my family gave a short and sweet grace before dinner every night--wouldn't want the food to get cold!

Now my husband and I take a moment, hold hands, tell each other "I love you" and otherwise separate our meal from our undoubtedly hectic day.

I was hoping for more colloquial blessings!
"Good food, Good meat, Good Lord--Let's eat!"

@culpeppy: I was at dinner in a tiny church in Iowa once where I overheard a table repeating the Robert Burns grace:

"Some have meat and cannot eat, some can't eat that want it. But we have meat and we can eat, so let the Lord be thanked."

It was charming.

Yes. God is good.

Reddylee, I would guess someone as angry as you about something so inconsequential should express some gratitude about just being invited to eat with someone else. I can't imaging the offers are all too frequent given your jerkyness to get up and leave a table. And since I would guess not too many people are beating your door down for your famous recipe: "4lbs frozen meatballs, 4 jars of chili sauce, 4 jars of grape jelly, throw it into a crockpot for 4 hours" (yeesh) let's everyone please join together in a prayer thanking whoever that we don't have to hang out with this angry woman and eat this.

Come now, let's not personally attack. I took this post as not one on the value of religion but on whether there's value in taking an opportunity each day to reflect on what we have and/or where it came from. I venture that most of us who have time to kill on an internet food blog are pretty fortunate - so the question was about whether we use mealtime as an opportunity to acknowledge that. I'm pretty sure that counting your blessings makes you happier.

I've faded from very Catholic with rote grace ("Bless us, O Lord, and these, thy gifts...") and the occasional invocation from my dad ("Rub a dub dub, thank God for the grub") to ... agnosticism at best and nothing at all at dinner.

This post makes me reflect that I may have thrown the baby out with the bathwater - and I'd like to create a new practice in my new household to pause and reflect on my how much I have to be thankful for - and to whom to express my gratitude.

@Sleek1: I agree.

Just because you don't like it, you don't have a bash others - many people get great comfort out of religion, and, given the global and local environment, I say "go for it!" The premise behind many faiths - compassion - is exactly what we need.

It's not a question of what's wrong, what's right, and what you do, but having RESPECT for other's beliefs, and embracing - promoting - a caring, multicultural environment. Despite your personal feelings, sometimes it's good to try something new, or experience another person's perspective.

Me? It's my personal goal to give thanks more - whether it's going to God, a farmer, the big bang that started it all, or the series of events that led to me - and my family - being here today.

My Amma's prayer - "God is Great, God is Good, Thank-You God for our Food, and our Family, and our Friends. Amen."

Well, I'm an atheist but I don't find someone else's prayers offensive; why would I? It has nothing to do with me, so I leave them to it.

I did get the point you were going for, Dana, on the importance of taking a moment to appreciate all you have. I wasn't crazy about couching that in terms of "blessings," however; we American atheists get a little tired of the assumption that "of course" everyone is religious (or "spiritual," whatever that means) in some way.

@akite10662: I never said *how* I leave the table, simply that I don't remain there for prayer. It is actually pretty easy to do this at large functions without anyone noticing or being offended by it, and in smaller settings, most times I am with those who know me and my feelings and respect my choice not to remain the room if they intend to pray. I find a way to help out in the kitchen, get someone a drink or a napkin, excuse myself to the restroom, check on the baby, etc. There are plenty of ways to excuse yourself from the table without standing up on a chair and announcing it with a bullhorn before leaving. I'm not a neanderthal.

And, thank you for mentioning the recipe. You clearly understood the point I made in that post over and over again: that even though the recipe seems uncouth and lacks class or presentation appeal, party meatballs, no matter where they are served or whom they are served to, are a dish that goes quickly. Perhaps party meatballs, like people who do not support prayer, are simply something you aren't able to or choose not to understand or appreciate? If so, I am sincerely, sincerely sorry you feel that way, but it is certainly within your right to feel that way. I made my best attempt to be frank in this discussion and to share my own story. I am that way in everything I do. I'm sorry. This appears as though it is extremely unappealing for you. I just don't see the point in mincing words. I do hope name calling helped you feel better, though. It sounded like you were rather upset and I would hate to think that you are so offended by my truthfulness that berating me is the only way to work through your feelings. Sincerely, without sarcasm or cynicism, are you going to be okay? I'm not without care for others. In fact, I'm the kind of person that goes out of my way to always make sure others are taken care of, and so your reaction gives me cause for great concern. I truly hope you are alright.

I find everyone's family blessings to be fascinating. I hope people post more!

I was raised Christian, but my whole life all I remember ever saying before meals, we would all say one thing we were grateful for. Food, good health, sense of humor, etc. I think when I was really young perhaps we might have said a 'prayer' prayer, I expect that rather changed with everyone's religious beliefs changing over the years.

I've never heard of anyone being an anti-theist before. I'm still trying to get my bearings on that concept. Somehow I equate thinking about what I'm grateful for to be the same as prayer. Every morning I try to think of five things I'm grateful for, which I suppose might be quite similar for some people as being grateful towards a God of some sort, then that'd be your prayer. It makes me happier to start my day thinking about what blessings I have. It never occurred to me that counting my blessings was different than prayer, although I certainly wouldn't've thought to call it that either.

What a thought provoking post. The comments are certainly as well.

Yes, I pray before meals.

Wow, Reddylee, you really sound like a self-riteous ass.

But on to more consequential things...

The last generation of my family to ever say a blessing at meals would have been my grandparents', and only when they were children at that. So the idea of regularly giving thanks, whether in a religious way or a new age-y/yuppie way, had never really even occurred to me. But my two young cousins go to a Steiner school, where they give thanks every day over their food. Their parents started doing it too, and I've been present for it a couple of times. It was something along the lines of "We give thought and thanks to the soil, the animals, the water, the farmers and the cook who give us this meal." I was really touched, and I think it's excellent to instill that little extra bit of awareness in children.

On the other hand, being an atheist I find religious blessings before meals highly uncomfortable, not least because it reminds me that I feel a little bit of pity for the people who feel that God is the one source most deserving of thanks for food (rather than the abovementioned sources). I'm always a bit ashamed of feeling this way and not just embracing it as rainbows and unicorns and diversity (oh my!), but I just can't stop feeling guilty for feeling so piteous towards those who are genuinely, joyfully, proudly superstitious. I feel guilty for the fact that I'm in the fortunate position to be intelligent enough not to believe in the supernatural. It's especially awkward when my partner and I are with one of his aunts and her husband and large brood, because they are all of the happy-clappy Christian persuasion and we sit through their devotional, ardent little song about thanking Jesus for their factory-processed meat while staring embarrassedly around the room.

I apologise if explaining this comes off as superior to anyone, I really don't mean it that way. I, too, would consider it unspeakably rude to actually leave the table to avoid this or insult in some way the people who believe. (And Reddylee, if you genuinely believe that rudeness is defensible as long as you see the other party as being rude first, well... I am speechless at your boarish hypocrisy.) But there certainly is a conversation worth having about the different types of sources we can acknowledge when starting a meal - the supernatural/imaginary, the things & people that actually did produce our food, or no acknowledgment at all - and about the issues that come up when saying blessings/thanks in mixed company.

It's funny how prayer brings about such strong feelings.
I remember once when I used to babysit, there was this family who NEVER prayed. It seemed so weird to see evryone sitting down and then just dig in. When I kept the kids, i taught them to pray. It got to the point where they did it automatically and each time said something different in the prayer.
I was glad that the parents didnt mind. I dont think they really cared one way or another.
My nail tech sends her daughter to Catholic school. She actually HATES when her daughter tries to get her to pray or to tell her that God is the one responsible for what she has.

I guess everyone has their own ways and reasons for them.

Extra thanks to those who gave a little background on why they pray or don't. Peace :-)

@Sleek1, if those were my children, I would have minded. You had no right to promote your personal religious beliefs to minors in your care.

You have the right when you ASK the parent and they GIVE PERMISSION.
The parents had a religious background, so that's probably why they didn't mind.

Juliescript, as i think about it; When i was in Kindergarten my teacher taught us to pray before our cookie and juice. Public school.
I know it was a long time ago, but i'm wondering if things are different now.

I'm disconcerted by the number of people who apparently are Xian here and yet have no issues with being self-righteous jerks to reddylee who has explained that she doesn't make a big fuss but simply leaves the table while others pray. If I knew someone that had such a visceral reaction to prayer, I'd assume that there was a good reason for it and try to be understanding, not insult them.

If you have issues with someone's believe system, it's counterproductive to insult that person. Try considering why they might hold that belief.

@Sleek1 Yes, they are different. Teacher-led prayer has no place in public schools for the simple fact that not everyone holds the same belief system or even has a belief in deities at all.

Thanks for understanding, d4kk1tt3n. I wasn't trying to be a jerk, just trying to be frank and clear.

I first I felt offended by how what RosieGreenie had wrote, which is silly on so many levels, because this is the internet and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I basically read it wrong until I read it twice.

It just wouldn't occur to me to feel pity for someone considering God the one most deserving of thanks, because in my own thoughts I would always be busy being grateful that the soil existed, and someone put forth the effort to make the food here and present. It wouldn't occur to me that believing in God or praying to one constituted as superstitious behavior, although I suppose it certainly could be considered that. I think what really bothered me was this part, " I feel guilty for the fact that I'm in the fortunate position to be intelligent enough not to believe in the supernatural." Because while I believe in a God, I don't pray to a God because it seems sort of useless---it just seems like you're looking down on everyone else who does believe in a God because you're more intelligent than the rest of us that believe in some sort of God- You are superior to me because you think I'm superstitious?

Everyone's beliefs are so personal. When my Nona says a 'prayer' prayer to God before a meal, it wouldn't occur to me to think less of her for it just because it's not line with my own beliefs- who's to say my opinion on religion or a higher power existing is any more accurate than anyone else's? There's no knowing for certain. I wouldn't think less of someone believing in Allah or some pagan Gods or no God at all. Someone told me once I was going to hell for what it is I do believe in, and I just don't think it's right to criticize anyone else's beliefs in a general way like that, whether it's 'I'm better than you because my opinion is better' or 'you're going to hell because my religion is better than yours.'

Yes, in my view, it's an expression that my life and everything I have comes from God. However, when I'm around people who don't believe in God or are not Christian, I generally give thanks to God for my meal without giving any outward indication that I'm praying, so that I don't make anyone uncomfortable. Though I am Christian, I was not raised as such and used to be a pretty staunch atheist (actually, it's likely that I was what ReddyLee calls an "anti-theist"), so I understand both sides quite well.

I must say, however, that I don't quite get RosieGreenie's comment about being "intelligent enough not to believe in the supernatural", since many Christians I know are brilliant, Ivy league-educated people. I'm doing postdoctoral research in molecular biology, so neither do I believe that it is a question of a divide between science and faith in God.

There are Christians who sing songs to Jesus thanking him for factory-processed meat, and there are atheists with no thought of thanking God for anything who happily eat factory-processed meat every day. There are also Christians who are vegetarian (like me!). People have different priorities and express their beliefs in different ways.

Yeah! What geckotoes1 said. Very articulately put.

There are people who are nice and polite about their personal views, and those who are not. On both sides of the fence.

Personally, I'm just anti-ceremony, and all the talk of tradition just doesn't "stick" to me in an "ooh I like the sound of that" sort of way. I am just extremely disinterested in this kind of thing. So yeah, no holidays, seasonal decorations, etc. Sounds boring, but I'm happier this way than otherwise.

The atheist mom's blessing/grace (since it was asked up in the comments somewhere), to be honest, just sounds hokey. Because she had to come up with something to stand in for religious traditions in such a traditionally religious town (if I read that right). But I'm just not that into that kind of stuff, rituals and traditions.

Dana, what an exceptionally well thought out and wonderfully worded post. Thank you for your insight and thoroughness too.

Long time vegan, I am so grateful that I live in a country/society where I am so easily afforded this lifestyle choice and, bonus, in California, where fresh organic vegetables are so abundant and accessible. This gratitude runs pretty much silent in the background all the time for me. But I prepare food for my cats and, over the bodies of the chickens I cook for them, I do offer special thanks that might be considered prayers. I'm not sure why I would not offer the same thanks and gratitude for the vegetables I so much love, the farmers who grow them, the workers who harvest them and who bring them to me. Your post has given me pause. Thank you again.

I tried several times to write that earlier post in a way that didn't make me sound like I was arrogant and rude to others about my non-belief, the way that Reddylee sounded to me. Because I really am fine with religiosity and saying grace (that is, the existence/occurance of it). It's just when I am presented with family members or friends who I otherwise thoroughly respect and believe to be intelligent, but who come up with beliefs that I see to be profoundly self-contradicting, hypocritical, or intellectually lazy, it can be personally difficult simply because I don't like being forced to see people I like in this negative light. (I'm not just talking about religiosity here, just beliefs or ways of thinking in general.) My private philosophy just happens to be one that finds that one can live a thoroughly moral, ethical, happy and loving life without involving religion or the supernatural in any way, and further, that religion tends to encourage cognitive dissonance, lazy thinking, bigotry and unjustified piousness.

Of course I would never say anything or in any way draw attention to this to those I know who are religious, because that would be disrepectful and indecent. The point I was trying to make (albeit not very adroitly) was that in mixed company, a religious blessing over a meal can create awkwardness and tension. Firstly because, as Reddylee rightly points out, those doing the blessing force any non-believers to take part in or at least acquiesce in something which is at best irrelevant to them, or at worst offensive. Secondly, for me personally, it reminds me of the aspects of the people involved which make me a bit embarrassed for them.

Geckotoes1, I wasn't saying that I think all religious people are uneducated dolts. Nevertheless I am not going to pretend, when questioned about it, that I do not look down upon religiosity. The family members I was referencing (an aunt and uncle and their several children) are themselves scientists, and what's more are ethical, kind and lovely people. I don't really intend to get into a theological/philosophical debate here, but I shall just finish with this: that in a way I find myself even more embarrassed for believers who also 'believe' in science, because to me that is the ultimate cognitive dissonance: holding, side-by-side, beliefs in both the supernatural and the scientific method (which by definition does not allow for the supernatural). THIS is really the crux of why these family blessings make me uncomfortable.

And the comment about factory meat was really because it astounds me when a person can praise God, He who art kind and loving to all His little critters, for their meal that was only made cheaply possible through the trauma of animals in industrial conditions, or of the abuse earth with short-sighted, money-driven practices.

Eek. Thanks for reading, sorry for the super-long post.

*or abuse of the earth...

I'm glad you came back and wrote more about your perspective RosieGreenie. I appreciate the kitchn as a forum for discussing opinions and ideas. Growth comes from a willingness to discuss perspectives, quite often. And from how articulate you were earlier in your former post, I figured whatever you wrote if you came back would be interesting food for thought. It's a brave thing to put an opinion out there like that, knowing full well you might be criticized for what you believe in. I don't agree with all the points you made, but it made me think more on the subject, as I'm sure it did for others, which is a good thing all around.

@ RosieGreenie - It's interesting what you said about science and religion - most people in society get the two concepts horribly mixed up.

(And, apologies in advance for this rant - I just completed my thesis on maladaptive superstitious beliefs in psychiatric patients - )

SCIENCE is based on what can be observed in the world. Physical realty and fact. You can see, taste, touch, and test science.

SUPERSTITION is a system of beliefs whereby physical events are linked to supernatural causes. (e.g., picking up that penny gives you good luck.) Superstition takes place in our world; therefore, it can be proven (or falsified) by science.

RELIGION takes place in an entirely different "field." It's based on faith, not fact/observation, therefore cannot be proved or disproved even by the most rigorous scientific testing.

- So, disproving a superstitious belief (e.g., faith healing, levitation, pennies and good luck) effectively "shuts down" that superstition, but it does not discredit the ultimate source of that belief.

Countorangevanpeeler, thanks for the comments. I too appreciate the way that The Kitchn is perfectly welcoming (or at least not censorial) of all sorts of different personal philosophies, even - in fact especially - ones that create good arguments in the comment threads.

Enialedam, what you said didn't sound at all like a rant. I am curious about where you see people confusing the concepts of science and religion, which to me seem quite plainly in opposition. If you happen to revisit this thread (it's quite a few days since the last post now...) I'd like to hear you elaborate on this.

And just to extend on your points, I don't necessarily see superstition and religion as two discrete fields. To me, religion is simply the institutionalisation of superstition. Religion takes superstition and belief in the supernatural, which otherwise would be dissolved by education and scientific understanding, and legitimises them by building them into a social framework. Anybody who today defends the legitimacy of religion, whether or not they would admit to this, *must* believe that religion's 'truth' is proven by the very fact that none of its claims can be proven (by the scientific method). If you don't believe this, then you don't really believe in the claims made by your religion (the familiar "it's a parable" fall-back argument).

This is why I feel more pity for religious people who simultaneously believe in the 'rightness' of the scientific method, than those who do not. I genuinely do not understand how an otherwise intelligent person reconciles these two faiths - or trusts, I suppose you could call them.

"We reflect on the effort that brought us this food and consider how it comes to us. - Thank you to everyone and everything that made this possible."

Nice Blessing, No "God" or "god".. Amazing to read the responses as much as the post.

Thank you Dana.