Just Enough

Enough

By David Whyte

Enough. These few words are enough.

If not these words,this breath.

If not this breath,this sitting here.

This opening to life

we have refused

again and again

until now.

Until now.

November can feel like approaching the edge of the eye of the storm for the later months in the year. The kids have found their school year routine, but end of year exams might be nearing. The weather is pleasant, but it is almost time to pull out the wooly sweaters and thicker coats. The wind down from summer holidays has concluded, but festive gifting is asking for consideration, and holiday season stirs little fantasies of winter getaways. This month can be an easy time to live in anticipation mode for the holiday months, rather than being fully present with what is already here.

In the space between vacation preparations and wrapping up work projects, take some time to be present. While there may or may not be something significant happening, there is always a full moment available to us. Maybe taking notice and appreciate how comfortable it is to be outside, free from the sauna-like air of the summer. Seasonal drinks from your favorite café are returning, is it possible to savor the first few sips with the full awareness, without checking your emails at the same time? On top of these, there are the many remarkable, ordinary moments where you have time to take ten breaths with full awareness of their movements. What remarkable and ordinary things might you have forgotten about? Is it possible to find a sense of “enough-ness”in taking a moment to appreciate them?

Experiment: We challenge our community to take just one (or more, if you are inclined) moment to give an ordinary experience their full attention. Take interest in the difficulty, joy,frustration, boredom, or humor that might come from this. How are you going to lean into this opening to life?

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