I’ve been sorting through old papers and came across this piece. It’s old, and I don’t know where the credit should go, but I can understand why I saved it.
At an airport I overheard a father and daughter in their last moments together. They had announced her plane’s departure and standing near the security gate, they hugged and he said, ” I love you. I wish you enough.”
She said, “Daddy, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Daddy.”
She kissed him goodbye and she left.
He walked over toward the window where I was seated.
Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, “Did you ever say goodbye to someone knowing it would be forever?”
“Yes, I have,” I replied. Saying that brought back memories I had of expressing my love and appreciation for all my Dad had done for me. Recognizing that his days were limited, I took the time to tell him face to face how much he meant to me. So I knew what this man was experiencing.
“Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever goodbye?” I asked.
“I am old and she lives much too far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is, her next trip back will be for my funeral”, he said.
“When you were saying goodbye I heard you say, ‘I wish you enough.” May I ask what that means?”
He began to smile. “That’s a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.” He paused for a moment and looking up as if trying to remember it in detail, he smiled even more.
“When we said ‘I wish you enough,’ we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with enough good things to sustain them,” he continued, and then turning toward me he shared the following as if he were 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 enough “Hello’s” to get you through the final “Goodbye.”
He then began to sob and walked away.
What do you think?
January 9, 2020
I have read this at some point since being on the internet…I love it. And thank you for posting it cause I had forgotten it.
I’m glad you can read it again.
He made me cry.
The author did a great job, it’s very touching.
I can barely watch anybody… even strangers saying goodbye.
and saying goodbye myself always brings tears.
it just is what it is and always has been. I’m not embarrassed anymore by the tears. I know their truth too well.
I’ve never read that before. thank you. xo
You’re welcome, I’m glad it touched you too.
That came from the book, “Chicken Soup for the Grieving Soul.” It’s really neat, isn’t it.
Thank you for crediting the source. Yes, it’s very touching,
It is quite beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I’m glad you like it too.
Such a note story.
🙂
Oops, I meant nice
Yes. 🙂
I read your post earlier, but I had to “think” about it…and now I see it as this new fangled idea in the work/life with balance world. Imagine if the people who thought up this new fangled ideal, had actually read about this earlier…
I see “enough” as balance in all the areas of ones’ life… of course that may not mean 50/50 but that’s for an individual to choose…
Do you think you have the right balance for you?
I have read this one before somewhere on the internet. It’s a very touching story.
I agree, it’s worth remembering, especially when things go wrong.