I wish you Enough !

Recently  I overheard a Father and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had  announced the departure.

Standing  near the security gate, they hugged and the  Father said, ‘I love you, and I wish you  enough.’

The daughter replied,  ’Dad, our life together has been more than  enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish  you enough, too, Dad.’

They  kissed and the daughter left.  The Father walked  over to 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.  ’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,’ 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 a moment and looked up as  if trying to remember it in detail, and 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.’ 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 no matter how gray  the day may appear.