Recently I overheard a father and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. 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 was 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 of my last conversation with my Dad. Recognizing that his days were limited, I took the time to tell him face to face how much he meant to me. I had expressed my love and appreciation for all he had done for me. So I knew exactly what this man was experiencing.
 
 "Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever goodbye?" I asked. "Because I'm old and she lives so far away. The reality is, her next trip back will surely 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." 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,
 and enough rain to make you appreciate the sun more.
 I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive,
 and enough pain so that the smallest joys in life
 appear much bigger than they are. 
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting, 
and enough loss that you'll appreciate all that you possess. 
And I wish you enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Goodbye".
 
 He began to sob and walked away....
©Bob Perks