What is Enough?

“It’s a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.”  ― Germany Kent

My daughter and grandsons were in town last week. I spent the days leading up to their visit, prepping, with the obligatory stop at the grocery store for specialty items that four- and two-year-old boys eat and drink: whole milk, mac ‘n cheese, pizza, bananas, and berries. And, then there were the usual tasks of getting my house ready for young visitors, like lifting fragile items up and away, setting up a crib, and hauling the highchair out of the storage room. 

Once the gang arrived, the days flew by with time spent at the beach, zoo, playground, and on the patio with bubbles and colored chalk. Besides meals and giggles and tender moments, there were plenty of bedtime stories, floor time with cars and trucks, and coloring and sticker books. In between the naps and playtime there were also tears and tantrums, but oodles of photos and memories were captured and banked. 

When it was time to pack up the gear and run my family to the airport, nostalgia set in. Suddenly, the car felt empty without two car seats, and the house way too quiet. So I headed out for a long walk, reminding myself that these precious family moments are too few and far between. 

As I was thinking of what to write this week, I remembered a post I made well over two years ago, titled, “I Wish You Enough.” The story originated from the church newsletter at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. 

As we all spend time with family and eek out the last precious bits of summer, the post is worthwhile repeating because the message is timeless. I hope it resonates with you, too:

Recently, I overheard a father and daughter in their last moments together. The airline had announced her departure and they were standing near the security gate. 

They hugged and he said, “I love you. I wish you enough.” 

She said, “Daddy, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all l ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Daddy.” 

They kissed and she left. He walked over toward the window where I was seated. Standing there, I could see he wanted and needed to cry. 

I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, “Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?”

“Yes, I have,” I replied. 

Saying that brought back memories I had of expressing my love and appreciation for all my dad had done for me. Recognizing that his days were limited, I took the time to tell him face to face how much he meant to me. So, I knew what this man was experiencing. 

“Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?” I asked. 

“I am old, and she lives much too far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is, her next trip back will be for my funeral,” he said. 

“When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, ‘I wish you enough.’ May I ask what that means?” 

He began to smile. “That’s a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.” 

He paused for a moment and looking up as if trying to remember it in detail, he smiled even more. “When we said, ‘I wish you enough,’ we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them,” he continued. 

And then turning toward me, he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory. 

“I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish you enough ‘Hello’s’ to get you through the final ‘good-bye.’” 

He then began to sob and walked away. 

I wish you, dear readers, enough, too. Enough sunsets and barbecues and laughter and family time. In short, I wish you enough time to enjoy all the things that make you happy. 

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I was recently interviewed on AllAuthor, an interactive platform that brings authors and readers together. This site was founded on the premise “that every book, no matter the genre or the book type, is of value to the right readers.” AllAuthor is committed to guiding like-minded readers and authors to find each other through the magic world of books. Check out AllAuthor and what they offer at www.allauthor.com. To read my interview, go here.

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