I recently read a story about a mother and daughter talking 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.

A man who witnessed this and trying not to intrude on her privacy, but she welcomed him in by asking, “Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?” “No, I haven’t the man replied.” Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?”

“I am old and unwell, 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.

I was very touched when I came across this story. The key take-away for me was the necessity of both joy and pain in our lives. Without the pain and struggle, we would never be able to appreciate the joy and the successes in life. The challenge is to keep these forces in balance for our maximum benefit. What did you take away from the story? I’m interested in any thoughts or comments that you have.

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