Enough Is As Good As A Feast
That was Mattie Ross' line in "True Grit": "I've had enough, and enough is as good as a feast."
I think it is a key to a happy life: not riches, but richness. Not having it all, having enough. And having the good sense to know what is enough.
It happens so often that the phrase "just enough" is like a code in our house. We'll buy some load of bargain lumber or another used material for a project and invariably, it will turn out to be just enough to finish the project. Usually, there will be no more than one or two boards left over. Or Sweet Hubs will think up a new project and look at his inventory of bits and bobs and he'll have.... just enough.
I used up the last package of green beans from last summer's garden about 3 weeks before this year's beans were ready to harvest. I still have one package of green chilies left and the new ones aren't quite ready yet. Just enough.
My goal for this huckleberry season was to get 52 two-cup packages of wild huckleberries in the freezer, a batch of huckleberry jam for storage plus enough for a few fresh huckleberry desserts during the picking season. I put 56 packages of berries in the freezer, made the jam, made the cobblers and the pies.... more than "just enough" this time, by 8 cups of berries.
Maybe huckleberries are an unexpected measure of a life? Sometimes the unexpected allegory is surprisingly meaningful. They are tiny, sweet, flavorful bits that take some time and effort to obtain, and they add a special flavor to our life. They are never taken for granted and are just special enough that we are careful to not overuse them.
I can think of other things that share those same attributes. Can you?
I think it is a key to a happy life: not riches, but richness. Not having it all, having enough. And having the good sense to know what is enough.
It happens so often that the phrase "just enough" is like a code in our house. We'll buy some load of bargain lumber or another used material for a project and invariably, it will turn out to be just enough to finish the project. Usually, there will be no more than one or two boards left over. Or Sweet Hubs will think up a new project and look at his inventory of bits and bobs and he'll have.... just enough.
I used up the last package of green beans from last summer's garden about 3 weeks before this year's beans were ready to harvest. I still have one package of green chilies left and the new ones aren't quite ready yet. Just enough.
My goal for this huckleberry season was to get 52 two-cup packages of wild huckleberries in the freezer, a batch of huckleberry jam for storage plus enough for a few fresh huckleberry desserts during the picking season. I put 56 packages of berries in the freezer, made the jam, made the cobblers and the pies.... more than "just enough" this time, by 8 cups of berries.
Maybe huckleberries are an unexpected measure of a life? Sometimes the unexpected allegory is surprisingly meaningful. They are tiny, sweet, flavorful bits that take some time and effort to obtain, and they add a special flavor to our life. They are never taken for granted and are just special enough that we are careful to not overuse them.
I can think of other things that share those same attributes. Can you?
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