I over heard 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.
*thank you for reading
Write "I love you mom"