What is enough?

Nothing is, ever.

Growing up in Damascus, Syria, my family was well off, and my grandfather was wealthy.

But as things changed, I witnessed the depletion of my grandfather’s fortune and the impact of the Syrian economic stagnation on our finances.

By the mid-80’s we were a poor family with a middle-income facade. My parents wondered daily how they were going to pay for things and who they were going to reach out to next and borrow some money to make ends meet.

Through it all, their generosity remained strong. Our home was not just ours; it was for an endless stream of guests, friends, family members, distant cousins. Anyone in town for a couple of days, even an old neighbour from ten years ago, and students from mom’s special needs school.

Visitors stayed hours on end, stayed over for days; no one would wonder why this person is eating our food or using our stuff.

For me, each new person is a fresh victim! I’d bring out my toys and start showcasing how awesome and noisy they are — so many fire trucks and police cars. In later years, I’d showcase my drawings and then my guitar playing. Poor souls, I think my parents owed them food and shelter for surviving me!

Our home came alive with people.

Yes, we had to split our food with them.

Yes, I was inconvenienced every time I had to run out to get more food.

And yes my parents had to figure out how to get more money.

But we had a happy, joyous home.

There was a real sense of belonging, a sense that people had each other’s back, enjoyed each other’s presence, and somehow there was always enough to go around.

Funny enough, at the same time, many with far more money and more resources had far fewer people who wanted to be around them or in their company.

So what is enough?

I realized that nothing is. Not unless you choose it to be so.

For me, I love that perpetual state of hunger. So in a way, nothing is ever enough.

Life is remarkable, so why not have more of everything?!

An excerpt from The Dark Art of Mastering Your Life book.