When Enough is Enough
~Epicurus
As many of you know, things have recently gotten pretty bad for Greece. The country has debts it can’t pay off, is operating at a loss … and is now contemplating a bailout that will have it paying upwards of 15% interest for God knows how many years. To say things are bad is an understatement. Things are scary as he**. People feel like they’ve wandered into someone else’s nightmare.
Friends of mine are worried. “Austerity measures” are being taken: their pay is being decreased by 7%, they’re losing their Christmas and Easter bonuses, their pensions are being frozen, and there’s probably more bad news to come.
For many people who were already just barely making ends meet (a lot of people), this may be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back: “Where is the money going to come from to pay our bills this summer? How are we going to pay for our kids’ schooling?” These are just a few of the questions being asked as tensions run high. And, as you can probably imagine, it is almost impossible for G and I not to be affected by it, too.
Over the past month, we too have found ourselves taking a close look at our life and our finances and asking ourselves, “How will we purchase the furniture that’s still needed for the living room? Or the car that we desperately need to buy this year? And what about just being able to put some money by each month: the emergency fund we may need, the little bit extra for a rainy day?” We ask ourselves these questions and begin panicking because we don’t have the answers. We get depressed and then “don’t want to talk about it.” We both spend several sleepless nights worrying about a future that hasn’t even happened yet.
It was during one of these mutual worry sessions the other day that my Inner Voice finally took advantage of a lull in our conversation to jump in with a few words of her own.
“Hey, hey, hey,” she said. “Hold it for a minute. You’ve got enough, don’t you?”
G and I, caught by surprise and definitely a little puzzled, “Huh?”
“You have enough,” she repeated … and then began to lead us through the situation, one question at a time.
“Did you have enough to pay your rent this month,” she asked. Yes.
“Did you have enough to pay your electricity?” Yes.
“Your water?” Yes.
“Your phone and internet?” Yes.
“Did you have enough to buy your groceries every day?” Yes.
“What about the gas in G’s bike?” Yes.
“The personal toiletries you need?” Yes.
“Have you gone without?” No.
“So every need you have has been met?” Yes.
“I rest my case, then,” she said, “You have enough.” And she paused for a moment to let the truth sink in.
She was right. G and I had nothing we could say that would refute her for, like a wise parent, she had soundly shown us the Universe’s provision. For us to complain of our plight, to insist on more than what we’ve received, this would have been the height of greed, selfishness, thanklessness, and conceit — two greedy kids handed their more than ample weekly allowance having the gall to still beg for more and complain if it wasn’t given. We, G and I, knew it was time to stop. Enough was enough.
Since this conversation, we have occasionally been tempted to come back with a, “Yes, but what if … ?” To which a reply is always given before we can even finish the question: “Well, if that happens, we’ll take care of it then.”
And once again G and I are silenced and reminded to be present in our present. A present which, we have been assured, is more than abundant. Enough is more than enough.
Abundant blessings to you today,
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