Good Enough

In my boyfriend's absence tonight, I had the good fortune of a date with a good friend, one with whom I can discuss in an intimate manner the ways in which, though we sometimes feel otherwise: we're good enough mothers, our kids are doing good (well) enough, and our husbands (partners) are good enough too:

Hey your glass is empty

It’s a hell of a long way home

Why don’t you let me take you

It’s no good to go alone

I never would have opened up

But you seemed so real to me

After all the bullshit I’ve heard

It’s refreshing not to see

I don’t have to pretend

She doesn’t expect it from me

Because my man and I are still in the honeymoon phase, I can relate more closely to her feelings about her marriage of thirteen years with feelings I remember having about my ex-husband than those I have about my current relationship, but on some level, we decided, being ok with something means deciding that it's good enough.

And the truth is, one human being can never make that decision for another. I can hear my ex-husband's pleas when I told him I wanted out of our marriage coming loud and clear through these lyrics:

Don’t tell me I haven’t been good to you

Don’t tell me I have never been there for you

Don’t tell me why

Nothing is good enough

But it wasn't good enough for me. And though I had to wade through some very lonesome terrain to get where I am today, I could always hear the universe singing some version of this verse of Sarah's beautiful song (written for an abused child):

So just let me try

And I will be good to you

Just let me try

And I will be there for you

I’ll show you why

You’re so much more than good enough...