Just enough

I've become entranced by the phrase "just enough."  

I'm finding it a comforting phrase.  The word "enough" alone can have a pretty negative connotation.  It often means not "sufficient," but more than sufficient, as in "I've heard enough of that whining!" (when really you have heard more than enough).  It is a simple synonym for crying "uncle", begging for something to stop, "Enough!"   Somehow, adding "just" to the front of it makes it softer, friendlier, and happier. 

Of course, there is the phrase "good enough," often used as a cover up.  "I've done a good enough job," meaning I've done a bad job but hopefully nobody will notice or care.  My kids were skilled in this usage.

"Just enough" hits that sweet spot between lacking and overabundance.  It seems achievable, doable.  For me, it nicely blends my new fascination with the idea that who I am is "enough" with a more precise measurement. I am "just enough." But, even though it adds precision, it still seems to allow for a hint of imperfection.  You don't have to be everything, you can be just enough. 

And being just enough, caring just enough, writing just enough is a happy place to be.

I think I've spent just enough time on this topic....