Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport as the daughter’s departure had been announced.
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 sat. 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, 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 hellos 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.
TAKE TIME TO LIVE!
To all my friends and loved ones, I WISH YOU ENOUGH!
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Oh crikey, that brought a tear to my eye – my Mum’s overseas (only 3 1/2 hours flight, but far enough to be inaccessible without money), and every time she comes to visit she realises/says it ‘may be the last time’ – breaks my heart every time she says it! Thanks for posting that :-))
That’s incredibly touching. I live more than 8 hours (flying) from my parents, and my dad is into his 70’s now, so everytime we say goodbye, well …
Thanks for posting this. I’m going to print it out.
That was lovely Jenna! Started my morning off with tears…. but very lovely 🙂
I just read your profile on the exchanges board, and I thought I’d let you know we live in the same area. I hope you’re feeling better now!
Wow! It brought a tear to my eye! My mom lives 16 hours from me so it really hit home.