The Joy of Enough

My new neighbour came up the stairs to see my flat yesterday. I'm so happy she's moved in.

I told her that while I used to feel incredibly sad and defeated about losing the 4 bedroom house with a cascading woodland garden and ending up in lesser housing than I had as a student in Brighton in the 90s, I have come to a new place of acceptance. Gratitude even.

We talked about the power of accepting what is enough. We talked about the joy of enough.

What if it were possible that everybody just stopped at enough? When you had enough, you sought no more. No bigger house, no better car, no further holiday, no 3rd pair of shoes, no flatter television or more powerful shower - you just had what was enough and felt happy with each wonderful thing that you owned.

A great cup, a perfect pan, a treasured towel, a pair of winter boots. You looked after each thing. I think this is what we are going to have to get back to.

I wanted a little terrace house last year, I tried, and failed, to put in an offer. I'm grateful I failed. I would now be unable to afford to be there at all. We would be on very dangerous ground.

Instead, we are here. Warm enough, fed enough, safe enough; in a small community, within my means. We have enough.

I don't even feel like charity shopping right now. Look at how much enough I already have.

(This post became the basis for the book that I have written a proposal for, with the guidance of the amazing literary agent, Alice Lutyens of Curtis Brown. Here is my profile on the Curtis Brown website - the book is waiting to find its perfect home!)