I just got in from a lovely evening walk around the neighborhood. The words to Leonard Cohen’s Song, “You Have Loved Enough” now come to mind. I am thinking how it is time for me to accept the fact that indeed, I have done enough down here on Planet Earth. Resting seems like a mighty fine idea.

On my walk, I saw my next-door neighbor standing at the top of his driveway with a cooler. He was dressed in white paint-spattered jeans and a T-shirt. I kidded him, “Are you off to catch fish for dinner?” I said. Turns out he had just gotten home from painting a mural in downtown Atlanta. He’s not through yet; this was his first day. He’s an artist and I love having him and his wife living next door. In the past, I might not have told him so, but now I did. Not only that, I asked for a hug.

On down the street I resume thinking about the fact that perhaps this is a time in life for me to rest. I stop to chat with another neighbor that is in a wheelchair. Her companion dog was with her. I brought up the subject of my thoughts. She looked bemused. She is an attorney, currently working on a project, so I am sure she is not old enough or idle enough to follow my line of thought. But we enjoyed the chat and now I am back at the Mac.

Here is what Leonard himself had to say about the song’s meaning:


‘You have loved enough, now let me be the lover.’ You could say that God is speaking to you – or the cosmos, or your lover. It just means, like, forget it. Lean back and be loved by all that is already loving you. It is your effort at love that is preventing you from experiencing it.”

I know he is right. The world would have us believe otherwise. It would keep us in the rat race of pseudo-pursuits until the day we drop dead in our tracks.

Memo to myself: Listen to Leonard Cohen. He’s never steered you wrong yet.

Vicki Woodyard