Posted by TerryS (24.24.79.72) on February 10, 2002 at 16:26:40:
Recently I overheard a father and daughter in their last moments together.
The airline had announced her departure and they were 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." They kissed 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 good-bye 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 good-bye?" I asked.
"I am old and she lives much too far away. I have challenges ahead and the
reality is, her next trip back would be for my funeral," he said.
"When you were saying good-bye 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 just 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 to the final "Good-bye."
He then began to sob and walked away.
Too my friends and loved ones, I wish YOU ENOUGH!