Thankfulness Friday 5

This one's a quick one: Name 5 things you're thankful for.
In no particular order:

1. The WonderMutt. He is the incarnated love of God in our house most of the times. Other times he's just plain rotten, but at least he makes us smile.
2. My family. They may annoy me sometimes, but they also taught me how to live and love, and they're always there when I need them. And then of course, there's Jamie the Exceptional. Enough said!
3. My eyesight. As it gets worse, and especially now that I'm back in school, I appreciate it more and more. I am more afraid of losing my vision than I am of needles, and that's saying something!
4. Enough, and then some. I am thankful that I have enough, and most often, more than enough. My life may not be perfect, but it's pretty stinkin' good almost all the time.
5. The holy quiet around those places that call to my soul: the crashing waves, a gentle breeze through mountain coves...sound that by itself sings peace to me.

[Addendum: Several people have commented to me about "enough', so I thought I'd share this email story that runs around: I Wish You Enough

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 door, he said to his daughter, "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 good-bye 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 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 enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Good-bye."

He then began to sob and walked away.