Enough! - Commentary From Bill Neville

Commentary By T.W. Bill Neville

I have just received an e mail from a friend of over 40 years of business and social validation. It was centered on a family situation regarding "Burnt Biscuits for Dinner."

This brought to mind an incident featuring me and my Dad at the supper table back in the latter part of the1940's. We were poor, but everybody we knew was poor, so, being poor, didn't carry any special stigma, back then.

My Mother, having been orphaned and put in an County "Orphan's"home, in her teens, with two, younger brothers, had learned a lot about how to feed a family of three males. I was in my teens and my brother, sub-teen, with healthy,growing appetites.

My Dad, thin as a rail, ran a Gas station, and could really "mow" the food away, when Mom worked her "miracle", not quite matching Jesus and the "fish and loaves" miracle, and it just so happened to be that our supper. this night, was one of my favorites, the Thursday night "special", home-made, baking soda biscuits and, meatless, flour gravy, and home canned, Michigan, Hale Haven peaches. There was no money for meat, or poultry, except for Sundaydinner. I think that Thursday menu was made all the more appreciated for 2 reasons, Mom flavored he gravy with meat "drippings" scrounged from Sunday meat and fowl meals, and the other reason was knowing that Friday's supper would be canned, pink salmon, and creamed, canned peas.

I had a good portion and was in the process of passing my plate for "seconds" when my Dad returned my empty plate and said, "Bill, you've had ENOUGH!", as he loaded up his plate,again.

That was the night that I learned the "TRUE" meaning of "ENOUGH!". and I NEVER forgot that night and truly learned how much my parents accomplished, with so little income, and a "LOVING" Mother, "DRIPPINGS", and "all.

It galvanized my belief in the fact that "charity" does begin at home, and I and my brother were never neglected, or denied our basic needs.We always had a roof over our heads, warm clothes on our backs, and "ENOUGH" food in our bellies. With NO fear of an "Orphan's" home, hanging over our heads!!

For, you see, in my family, "ENOUGH" was not just a "WORD" but a "PARENTAL" ritual born of "LOVE" and sustained by, not their "BANK ACCOUNT", but by taking "RESPONSIBILITY" not only for their actions, but for OURS!