I don’t remember the first time I heard or read the words “you are enough,” but I can imagine scratching my head in confusion because among the spiritual proverbs and truisms, this one wasn’t that easily accepted.
Namely because I couldn’t believe it. And so, my cynical mind went to work.
“If I think I’m enough, why would I ever do more? I’d just sit back and never achieve anything because I think I’ve made it already.”
“Can you imagine if people who go around hurting others believed in this? They would never do anything to change their bad behavior.”
“Is it even possible to be enough? Doesn’t that go against human nature’s goal of progress?”
All decent points but all miss the point.
“You are enough” means that there is nothing you need to be deemed as valuable and worthwhile. Consider when you were a baby. Were you enough then? Well of course you were. You were you, a unique expression of life, a one-of-a-kind precious heirloom of the universe, the likes of which no one will ever see again once you are gone.
Great, so no one argues whether or not an infant is enough. They just are. But that begs the question: when did we start to question if we were enough?
For me, it began when I started school. I started to learn that the kids with good grades were valued more. They were certainly treated differently by teachers. But then I also realized that if you were good at sports, you were valued too. You could also be valued if you were attractive, funny, rich or likeable. Maybe you can relate.
It then continued in the family. “Good” kids cleaned their room, cleaned their plate, didn’t talk back, didn’t question authority, participated in church, practiced their musical instrument and were overall pleasant for the parent. Maybe you can relate.
As an adult, it was all about the symbols of success. The marriage, home, car, job and salary. You had to hit the jackpot, else… you weren’t enough. If you don’t achieve these goals, something’s wrong with you. At least, that’s what the prevailing thought seems to be.
I was able to be “enough” for some things in my young life, but then things started catching up on me. I didn’t meet…
