When will it feel like enough?

“The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;”

These words of the great poet William Wordsworth have rung in my mind lately. Fall can be such a busy time as farmers and gardeners bring in the harvest, as our children and teachers go back to school, as the pace of our jobs and volunteer work picks up, as we begin to prepare for winter holidays.

I pull out the winter clothing bin to make sure the boots still fit, and everyone in the family has both gloves. The coupons and advertisements fill up the mailbox, coaxing me to do a little more fall shopping. At these prices, isn’t it time to stock up for the coming season? The coupons share a pile on the table with the fliers which come home from school daily listing all the genuinely wonderful opportunities for children and families.

I want to learn to say “Enough!” and mean it. But my son could use 1 more pair of jeans in his size, and it’s true my wool coat is getting a little worn, and weren’t there some holes in my wool socks long about last March? And let’s not even start talking about how full our calendars are- I’ve still got a Wednesday free after Thanksgiving, we can talk about it then.

Now let’s take a moment to remember there are plenty of folks right here in our community who don’t have enough to eat, who are desperately looking for affordable housing. Certainly if you are struggling to meet your basic needs your spirit has other challenges. But for all of us lucky enough to have a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, and food on our table, “what is enough?” is a meaningful question. A study out of Princeton University shows that being rich does not make one happier than being middle class folks who can take care of their basic needs.

Buddhism tells us that it is Tanha, or desire, that leads to suffering. Instead of focusing on what we have, instead of being present with the people who are with us, we think about what we don’t have, what we could have. It is hard to notice a beautiful fall day when we are trying to cram in one more errand.

I started to become dissatisfied with the way my mind fills up with lists of things to do, and things to buy. My mind was caught in a loop that would go on all day if I let it. I decided that when I caught myself in those never-ending lists, I would say a short prayer. Here are 2 that I like:

• From the Hindu tradition, we can say “Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti” which is the chant for peace in one’s self and in the world.
• From the Christian Tradition, we can say “God give me peace” or “Dona Nobis Pacem”

But you can use any small prayer of your own that brings you back to yourself, and allows you to turn off the list of things you need.

Now when my mind is worrying and fighting about all that I need to do, all that I need to acquire, I say one of these brief prayers, and it interrupts this cycle of wanting. It reminds me of that peaceful place inside my self where I can finally say “enough”