Working in a church and having 6 Christmas Eve services, I saw LOTS of family and friends enjoying time together. Many of our new neighbors had family visiting for the holidays. We witnessed walks, converstions, ski excursions, dinners, cookie and pie making... a week of love and merriment. The good-byes are bittersweet.
We live in a world that moves faster and faster, we have more and more to do on a daily basis. Do we have more, but appreciate less? Do we focus on ourselves more and have less time to regard other's needs? Do we feel we are in a competition as my mom used to say "to keep up with the Jones?" (funny.... but the Jones actually do live next door!)
How do you measure life? Do you have enough or are you always in search of more, the newest, better? The point when you have enough is different for everyone. In saying good-bye to the kids at Thanksgiving and watching the good-bys of neighbors as their family drove off after holiday time together, I pray they go in peace and hope and have enough, whatever that honestly looks like to them. I pray with hope that it carries them through the next year.
Years ago I read the poem by Bob Parks and I do periodically remind myself of the sentiment. Of course I do lose sight of it at times, but I come back to it and resolve to remember what is ENOUGH. As family drive off to resume their lives away from us... I wish them enough.
"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 enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Goodbye."