I WISH YOU ENOUGH

I WISH YOU ENOUGH.

Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter saying their goodbyes in their last moments together at the airport. The daughter's flight departure was announced and they hugged.

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 sat. Standing there, I could see she was about to cry. She looked at me and asked, "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. The reality is that her next trip home 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 saying that has been handed down in my family for generations. My parents used to say it to all of us when we were growing up. When we say it, we are saying, "I wish you a life filled with just enough good things to sustain you."

Then turning toward me, with tears in her eyes, she recited this 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 just enough pain so that the smallest joys in life will be so much bigger."

"I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you have.
I wish you enough hellos in life to get you through the
final good-bye."

She then began to cry and walked away.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person. An hour to appreciate them. A day to love them. And an entire life to forget them.

I will never forget her for the rest of my life.