“I wish you enough”

I recently read this story on the web, and it stuck with me. It made me think about my own family, and what it is I wish for them?

Recently I overheard a father and daughter in their last moments together. They had announced her departure and standing near the security gate, they hugged and he said, “I love you. I wish you enough.” She in turn 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 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 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, the next trip back would 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 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 the final “Goodbye.”

He then began to sob and walked away.

My kids are now teenagers, and in a few weeks the oldest two are moving out of the house. It’s not be the final “good-bye”, but it is still a major life transition for them, and for us. It seems like ages ago that they were newborns that we held in our arms, so helpless and dependent.

As we prepare to say good-bye, I think about what it is I want for them. To be happy, to be successful, to be healthy, to be good, to be rich, to find a good job, to have a good family, to be well-liked, to live a long life? Each one of these things can be good and positive, and yet they are not enough.

“I wish you enough”. The things mentioned in the story are good and interesting, but there is one more “enough” that I would add. I wish you enough of God to make you realize that nothing else is complete without Him.

I wish you enough of God to make you wise, to make you strong, to make you thankful.
I wish you enough of God to make your life a blessing to others.
I wish you enough of God to make you successful, no matter how your life turns out.
I wish you enough of God to make you content, no matter what your circumstances.
I wish you enough of God to make all other distractions and temptations pale in comparison.
I wish you enough of God to make you joyful, not just happy; wise, not just smart; strong, not just brute.

What is it that you wish for those you love?