After some deliberation, I have come to the conclusion that I do indeed have a favourite magical word. It is a charm against abuse, ludicrousness, greed and exhaustion. It has the power to protect the planet from human predation if only we use it properly. As a charm it works in a number of ways, layered with meaning and possibility.
That word, is ‘enough’.
To recognise that we have enough, is a powerful thing. Many people in the world are out there grasping after bigger piles of stuff they cannot use, because they lack the magical insight an ‘enough’ charm will bring. The flip side of the same issue fails to recognise that far too many people in the world do not have enough, do not have food, clean water, shelter or peace. They too need the magic of ‘enough’ to lift them out of misery.
“Enough” is the magic word that enables a person to walk away from bullshit, time wasting, crappiness. It’s taken me a long time to learn how to say it, and not to let people who just enjoy giving me a hard time get their jollies. I have learned to say no, and not to show up. I have taken enough already. I will take no more. It is a final, potent ward when used in this way. It can be said fiercely, and with feeling. Enough! No more time wasters, no more needless dramas, no more pointless misery for no good reason. I will be where I am needed, I will look out for the people who do not have enough in some aspect of their lives, but I will not stand around to be kicked.
Using the word ‘enough’ I will undertake to find out what that means in the context of my own life. I have not had enough peace, but I may have some hard fights to win it, because peace for myself alone would not be enough. I need more rest, and more time off, and more things that make me happy, and I need to learn how to say ‘enough’ to the work and the striving and the trying to make things better. I do not believe that the ends can be assumed to justify the means. Treating myself in ways that I find wholly objectionable when they manifest elsewhere, therefore does not work. I need to learn to say ‘I have done enough for now’. There are things to work on.
Words are power and magic, they are intention given shape and directed into the world. We do not need long and elaborate spells in order to make changes. We need focus. Sometimes one word is enough.
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:08 pm
Your magic spell is deeply powerful (as, of course, is mine). I think we should try not to cross the streams, for fear the whole world might rise against their unseen overlords and rattle their chains too noisily.
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:18 pm
sounds rather tempting, actually.
December 22nd, 2013 at 1:56 pm
A big YES to you, Nimue!
December 22nd, 2013 at 5:47 pm
Right on!
December 22nd, 2013 at 6:09 pm
Well said!
December 22nd, 2013 at 8:49 pm
I love this…”We do not need long and elaborate spells in order to make changes. We need focus. Sometimes one word is enough.” Very well said. I really needed to read this today. Thank you for touching my life, as well.
December 23rd, 2013 at 4:22 am
I love your ‘magic word’ and am endeavouring to practise using it (while avoiding my personal hex word: ‘ought’…)
December 23rd, 2013 at 8:16 am
ought and should are nasty little hexes, indeed.
January 9th, 2014 at 11:34 pm
I would love to reblog this post. This one little word can change lives. Could you let me know how to do this? Still new at blogging 🙂
January 10th, 2014 at 7:42 am
Please do! I consider it an honour to be reblogged.
January 9th, 2014 at 11:35 pm
Reblogged this on Pure You and commented:
This one little magical word could change lives… including mine. I’m inspired to increase it’s usage in my own conversations.
November 11th, 2015 at 11:32 am
[…] regularly certainly changes things for me. Firstly it focuses me on the idea of sufficiency. “Enough” is a magic word. Recognising the ways in which I am sufficient helps me. We live in a culture that promotes the […]