Enough is Enough
When to say it and then take action
When is enough enough? Is it when we can no longer stomach the constant berating noise buzzing around us that our head figuratively explodes to the point we no longer recognize ourselves? Is it enough when our heart finally says no to more pain, no to more heartache, no to more suffering, and at some point, we decide that burying ourselves in the sand is a better option?
There are incredibly complicated issues that confront us each day. Some we deny, some we kick down the road, and some we face head-on, fighting tooth and nail. Some we allow to sail over our heads because they don’t directly affect us. I have been feeling all of this and sometimes wake up in the middle of a sleep cycle thinking about all the fires that need to be put out or at least tamped down to a manageable level. I used to feed on that adrenaline when I served as a college department chair; in this current situation, not so much.
I don’t know about you, but I can tell when people are struggling by the look on their faces, how they carry their bodies, and by the look in their eyes. As an empath, I often feel what they feel and wonder if these lost souls ever consider “when is it enough?” Or is that kind of reflection just too agonizing?
I have said enough about certain people, goals, and ideas. Taking this approach is because life changes, and moving beyond the past is necessary for my psyche. It’s a soul-cleansing cycle that warrants consideration.
People risk being left behind when they deny that the world is changing and stand beligerent against those changes. Shifting behaviors is almost impossible to implement in our comfort, overly safety concious culture.
But are we ever totally comfortable or safe? Of course not.
However, some comfort is necessary to provide a foundation of sanity and to prevent being overwhelmed. We don’t want to think so hard about every damn thing that comes across our radar. However, it’s also important to avoid complacency.
Although I admit to being as guilty as the next person and falling into the trap of taking things for granted. The consequences of that often unconscious and arrogant satisfaction are that it has a way of either resurfacing in slow motion or slapping us upside the head to the point where we don’t know what hit us. Refusing to consider and ask the hard questions will often result in realities we initially thought impossible. And so, here we are in this present malaise.
What is most important right now? What do we value? What do we consider enough in any given scenario? I find myself digging deep to find some sense and truth among what is being slung out into the universe. I care about how all this affects others, my daughter, my spouse, my siblings, my community, my friends, and the world.
We can only do what is within our capacity.
So, when is it enough? How about enough is when we are at peace with ourselves, even for a short period? I don’t know about you, but peace is a state that eludes me because my mind seldom rests.
When I do feel at peace, it is both beautiful and sometimes strange. Those moments of serenity come when I walk in the forests of Washington State. I walk to wander, ponder, and absorb the air, the trees, the plants, the silence, and to feel my mind and body more intensely. The trees, especially, are welcoming and mysterious in their stature, shape, and nuanced movement. They are alive, and I can feel their energy in my bones.
Strolling around my neighborhood with the Olympic Mountains visible to the south is another way to connect and feel a sense of calm. Deer are everywhere, grazing on the lush grass, plants, and trees. They are not bothered by my presence and stare at me intently as I walk by. I often stop and talk with them. Their large, perky ears and intense eyes are irresistible. Our little talks are a mutual show of respect between humans and nature.
If I am experiencing contentment, it’s fleeting because I’m forever conjuring up scenarios, good, sinister, or disturbing. There is little peace within me, which I don’t regret; it’s just how I live and thrive in most scenarios. One thought or idea leads to another and another, and so on. This discontent fuels my creative process in the studio and my writing.
Unfortunately, there is another kind of discontent that does not provide fuel, and that is complacency. My faith in people has faltered over the years. There has been a failure to consider the importance of our role in communities, regions, nations, and the global world in which we are all privileged to live. Our innumerable freedoms are taken for granted. Yet, history reminds us often that freedom is not free.
I have never felt more violated than in the past few years when the rights of “others” have been slowly eroding. Human rights that many diverse groups have been fighting for decades and centuries. It becomes an ever-present battle to be who we are and to be treated with dignity. Enough already.
The silver lining to being continually oppressed is that we are just firing up for the next round.
The cusp of something wild and revealing is upon us. This pot has been boiling for too long and is spilling all over the place. People are getting figuratively burned, especially if they’re not paying attention or have their heads stuck in the sand. Stand up, speak up, and resist. We have nothing to lose, and we have everything to lose.
Image: Internal Mindscape - This work was chosen to accompany this writing because of its layered look into what could be someone’s mind, a random or specific landscape, a soul, or the life of anyone. There are hints of light and dark, places we can hide or places we are drawn toward.
So much of my current thoughts and hopes in your article. My central hope is that our population and political world can move beyond reactionary and establish changes to solidify our fragile democracy. Our country and world is at such a fragile point!