When Enough is Enough. Posted on May 6th, 2013 by

 

“This is the reality we live: aspiring to be at our best, longing for and sometimes finding meaning and connection within ourselves and with that which is larger than ourselves, we are undone by messy bathrooms, traffic jams, and burnt toast” -Oriah Mountain Dreamer

This quote beautifully articulates the lifestyle that I have found myself living this freshman year. Every time I seem to be finished with the many things I needed to get done, I find myself reaching for that “one more thing…” to cram into my already full, hectic day. With that said, the question I want to grow from is: “When is enough, enough?”

Every day I desire to put my best foot forward in all of my academics, activities, relationships, work, etc., but how do I know when to stop and just be happy with whatever company I am keeping in the present moment? There’s the key phrase: “present moment”. I long to live with a deep intimacy in every moment of my life. To feel and to settle for nothing less than what is real. Unfortunately, as I have explored the practice of being authentic and bringing my true presence to every moment, I have found that this does not mean the journey will be easy. With every intimate moment of happiness comes a moment of sorrow, confusion, and authentic suffering. To be present, I have found, is not a selective process. I do believe, however, that in those moments of genuine presence I experience real grace. When that moment of grace and presence knocks on my heart, it tells me that even with everything I still have to do, I am good enough.

There will always be more I can do, more to fix, more to get better at. I am imperfect—just like every member of the human race—and that imperfection is what connects me to the rest of humanity. Together, our longings, limitations, and aching hearts are what enable us to understand each other. They are precisely what bring people together, what we grow from, and what opens us to live our lives fully. Therefore, I leave you with one final quote as a challenge to start living authentically:

“If we are strong enough, to be weak enough, we are given a wound that never heals. It is the gift that keeps our hearts open.” -Oriah Mountain Dreamer

 

-Yaisa Rodriguez and Kaitlyn Reed

 

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