My Australian daughter sent this to me in July 2007, for this happens all the time when we take leave of each other at the airport.
I recently thought of you when I read this, I hope all is going well, that you are doing well, and things are going your
way.
"Recently I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, "I love you and I wish you enough".
The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom".
They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?".
Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?".
"I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral," she said.
"When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough'. May I ask what that means?".
She began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone". She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she 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".
Then turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear 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 hellos to get you through the final good-bye.
She then began to cry and walked away."
39 comments:
May I copy that "enough" poem reader wil - I think it is so beautiful and so true.
I love your new header - but then I always love your new header.
Reader Wil, That was so touching. I didn't read it the first time you posted it, so it is new to me. I loved the poem, it was just enough...
I wish you enough... spring cleaning! ;)
This is really true towards life...We never know, it may be our last time we are talking...Well any way, nice post..:)
One does not have to send the children to the other side of the world to feel the loss - just seeing the moving out (as they obviously must sooner or later) is enough. But then, other feeling enter into that.
However, this story was extremely touching. I don't know if O would have been able to be so strong. Saying goodbye when there is hope is one thing (I have done that) - when there is no hope...
Oh Dear Wil.........You've got me crying now!!
Dear Wil, it got me crying, because it sounds like a blessing (I'm thinking of Isaac blessing his sons before he died)-thank you for sharing-it must have touched you too.
Left a response for you on my blog about the staghorn:)
How touching and sad! I wish that enough included the words "more than"! I wish for all people abundance in love and appreciation that comes without restraint. <3
What a beautiful story. I'm wishing you enough Wil, of everything you need.
Very nice of the lady to share with you Wil.
A lovely wish, like giving roses, thorns and all.
That's why we always have to be on our best and best wishes for everyone. I love that first line of the poem, so positive. "I wish you enough sunshine..." Thanks for sharing this Reader Wil. Prettige Dag!
This is a lovely post, and it resonates for me as I have had so many airport farewells throughout my adult life since I went abroad as a development aid volunteer 31 years ago, and every year or two for the next 20 years this scene was replayed at various airports - my mother felt the departures especially as she was a widow who had no other children, so it was a big wrench to have her family so far away but she was selfless and never tried to guilt-trip us home. Now we are here in her twilight years and have had some good years before she became bed-bound with dementia. I have a son in Spain which seems like next door compared to Asia and Africa where we lived. Thanks for sharing this one!
Oh my goodness! You've hit the nail on the head with "Oh Dear..."!This was so beautiful and poignant.A touching post Reader Wil.
That is beautiful, Wil! Good bye's are always hard. My daughter lives 700 miles from me, and I don't get to see her enough, and hate saying good bye. Thank you for sharing this lovely good bye.
Hugs,
Renie
Now I'm crying.
Thank you and aloha-
How touchingly poignant. This reminds me of the Chinese saying that goes "May you have enough of everything."
I do hope the mother and daughter will see each other again.
Wordt hier even stil van, maar is o zo prachtig deze tekst.
Groetjes
So moving and lovely.
Yes, I wish all of us 'enough' to get through what life throws at us.
Our daughter lives in England and us in the US
when our children were small my elderly mother was in England and each farewell might have been the last.
I last saw my beloved father at Heathrow Airport..
I'm getting misty eyed.
But airports only make it bigger.
We might lose anyone any time.
So we need to give big hugs and lots of love all the time.
This was so touching!
I hope and pray that it was not for the last time the daughter and mother met.
Huge goosebumps traveling up and down my arms right now. Thanks for this. All of our family lives in another part of the USA and on two other continents. Saying goodbye is a huge part of our lives, but so is saying hello.
This was a n amazing story. I really like it!
What a bittersweet story. Knowing it is the last time is a very tough thing.
That's very touching. In our world, we sometimes have too much, which distracts from the "enough" that is what really makes us happy.
Oh, Wil. This was so touching. I wish i haven't say goodbye to my love ones. Goodbyes are so hard.
I wish you enough, Wil.
Beautiful post Wil, thanks for sharing. My tear ducts needed flushing.
This is a wonderfully profound and sad post. May enough spring cleaning help you to enjoy your shining house.
Hoi Wil, thanks for the visit. En nog geen hemel foto? Misschien, u bent druk. Prettige dag!
Ohh.. what a sad but beautiful post. It is a lovely substitute for ABC Wednesday.
OK that gave me a good laugh. When you are done cleaning your house, you want to come and clean mine? Naa, just kidding :)
That is beautiful. I wish you enough. I'm going to have to remember that. My daughter does not live abroad but does live out of state. Not the same, I know but still too far. Thanks for sharing this.
You are kind to offer to help and I do love your humor. I just might send a plane to pick you up :D
I read this 2 years ago and have always loved it. Thanks for posting Wil - it is so beautifully written.
Hopelijk is alles oke met je,
want blijft hier zo rustig.
Groetjes
A very moving post.
Oi, that was a very tough goodbye to say.
Very beautiful words Wil. All of your pictures of the animals are so cute. Especially the header.
What a beautiful post!(and tearful)
May I have permission to use the poem too?
hope that email sent!?
Paulahal,I am sorry but I can't reach you. Can you send me an e-mail address? You know mine. Or give a blogaddress.
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