Ever since I was a boy I have been an avid reader. I have read and been touched by so many books from so many authors. I think it may be one of the reasons I started writing myself. I even enjoy hearing stories about other authors, because often they can teach us a lot as well.

I heard one such story the other day that really made me stop and think. The two famous authors, Kurt Vonnegut and Joseph Heller were invited to a party given by a billionaire hedge fund manager at his home. As the host showed off his lavish mansion to his guests and bragged about the rare works of art he had collected, Vonnegut joked to his friend Heller that their host had probably made more money in a single day than Heller had earned from his most popular novel, Catch-22 over its entire history. Heller smiled back and said, “Yes, he probably has but I have something he will never have-ENOUGH.”

What is enough? Our society tells us that nothing is ever enough. The messages and advertisements bombard us every day telling us to spend all the money we have and all the money we don’t have to buy more and more stuff. The lessons of Heaven, however, teach us differently. They say that if our bellies are full from “our daily bread” then we have enough. If we have clothes on our backs to keep us warm then we have enough. If we have a roof over our heads to protect us from the cold, wind, and rain then we have enough. If we have people we love and people who love us then we have enough. And even if all of these things are uncertain or lacking, if we know that God loves us and we welcome that love into our hearts then we have enough.

Our loving Heavenly Father will always give us ENOUGH. It us up to us, though, to embrace it, welcome it into our hearts, and share it with the world. May you always do so.

“Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.’” (Luke 12:15 ESV)

Joseph J. Mazzella