ENOUGH

My Panamanian friend Simone sat me one day, to explain “bastantemente”, which is both a word (literally = enough-mind or mind of sufficient) and a concept. It boils down to “I have enough – I have enough food, enough of a house, family and friends. Why would I want more? And why would I work harder to get somethings I don’t need?”. He realizes that this is very different, even foreign, to the attitude of the City or the “advanced” world. It is why campo people are so puzzled by corruption scandals that frequent the news here. “Why do these very rich people want to steal and cheat, just to get more, when they already have more than they need?” I suppose the same could be said for the 1% in the US.

Most men in the campo work just a month or two, usually at Chiquita, to get enough money to take care of their family needs for the year. It supplements their harvest of bounty from the jungle and the few pigs or chickens they raise by the house. Some people in the US would call them lazy for not working the whole year. I call them smart, preferring to spend time with friends and family over earning more money that they really don’t feel they need.

It is indeed sad that we live in a society that places money and things above true happiness and satisfaction. I’m grateful and touched that Simone took the time to remind me of that.

The concept of enough, of having enough is to me, an important part of happiness. Having enough money and earnings to enjoy life, to feel comfortable. To like myself, to not feel obligated to go to parties that I really don't want to go to.

The problem that I had when I played the Yuppie lifestyle was that I never found enough. Never had enough money, made enough money. I could always be better and smarter. And, I went to lots of parties and dinners out of obligation, not choice.

Not any more.