I Wish You Enough
Recently, I overheard a father & 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."
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 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 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 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 you enough "Hello's" to get you through the final
"Good-bye"."
He then began to sob and walked away...
My friends and loved ones, I wish you ENOUGH!!!
I wish for you...",
Comfort on difficult days,
Smiles when sadness intrudes,
Rainbows to follow the clouds,
Laughter to kiss your lips,
Sunsets to warm your heart,
Gentle hugs when spirits sag,
Bear hugs when you feel alone,
Friendships to brighten your being,
Beauty for your eyes to see,
Confidence for when you doubt,
Faith so that you can believe,
Courage to know yourself,
Patience to accept the truth,
And love to complete your life.
I wish you enough.
~Author Unknown
Recently, I overheard a father & 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."
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 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 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 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 you enough "Hello's" to get you through the final
"Good-bye"."
He then began to sob and walked away...
My friends and loved ones, I wish you ENOUGH!!!
I wish for you...",
Comfort on difficult days,
Smiles when sadness intrudes,
Rainbows to follow the clouds,
Laughter to kiss your lips,
Sunsets to warm your heart,
Gentle hugs when spirits sag,
Bear hugs when you feel alone,
Friendships to brighten your being,
Beauty for your eyes to see,
Confidence for when you doubt,
Faith so that you can believe,
Courage to know yourself,
Patience to accept the truth,
And love to complete your life.
I wish you enough.
~Author Unknown
The Pastor's Cat
Dwight Nelson recently told a true story about the pastor of his church.
He had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his back yard and then was afraid to come down. The pastor coaxed, offered warm milk etc. The kitty would not come down. The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor decided that if he tied a rope to his car and drove away so that the tree bent down, he could then reach up and get the kitten.
All the while, checking his progress in the rear view mirror frequently, then he figured that if he went a little bit further, the tree would be bent sufficiently for him to reach the kitten. But as he moved a little further the rope broke. The tree responded with a violent movement launching the kitten which instantly sailed through the air out of sight.
The pastor felt terrible. He walked all over the neighborhood asking people if they had seen a little kitten. No one had seen a stray kitten.
So he prayed, "Lord I just commit this kitten to your keeping," and went on about his business.
A few days later he was at the grocery store, and met one of his church members. He happened to look in her shopping cart and was amazed to see cat food. Now this women was a cat hater and everyone knew it, so he asked her, "Why are you buying cat food when you hate cats so much ?"
She replied, "You wont believe this, "and told him how her little girl had been begging her for a cat, but she kept refusing. Then a few days before, the child had begged again, so the Mom finally told her little girl, "Well if God gives you a cat, I'll let you keep it."
(Can you see where this heading ? )
She told the pastor, I watched my child go out in the back yard, get on her knees and ask God for a cat. And really, Pastor you wont believe this, but I saw it happen with my own eyes. A kitten suddenly came flying out of the blue sky, with its paws outspread, and landed in front of her.
Never underestimate the Power of God and his unique sense of humor!
~ Author Dwight Nelson
Dwight Nelson recently told a true story about the pastor of his church.
He had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his back yard and then was afraid to come down. The pastor coaxed, offered warm milk etc. The kitty would not come down. The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor decided that if he tied a rope to his car and drove away so that the tree bent down, he could then reach up and get the kitten.
All the while, checking his progress in the rear view mirror frequently, then he figured that if he went a little bit further, the tree would be bent sufficiently for him to reach the kitten. But as he moved a little further the rope broke. The tree responded with a violent movement launching the kitten which instantly sailed through the air out of sight.
The pastor felt terrible. He walked all over the neighborhood asking people if they had seen a little kitten. No one had seen a stray kitten.
So he prayed, "Lord I just commit this kitten to your keeping," and went on about his business.
A few days later he was at the grocery store, and met one of his church members. He happened to look in her shopping cart and was amazed to see cat food. Now this women was a cat hater and everyone knew it, so he asked her, "Why are you buying cat food when you hate cats so much ?"
She replied, "You wont believe this, "and told him how her little girl had been begging her for a cat, but she kept refusing. Then a few days before, the child had begged again, so the Mom finally told her little girl, "Well if God gives you a cat, I'll let you keep it."
(Can you see where this heading ? )
She told the pastor, I watched my child go out in the back yard, get on her knees and ask God for a cat. And really, Pastor you wont believe this, but I saw it happen with my own eyes. A kitten suddenly came flying out of the blue sky, with its paws outspread, and landed in front of her.
Never underestimate the Power of God and his unique sense of humor!
~ Author Dwight Nelson