“You Are Enough” is a message that we hear all the time from great spiritual leaders.

Many of us feel like we aren’t enough – not always and in general but just sometimes about specific things. For instance, I’ve been having the thought that I could have written a more captivating blog post yesterday, which is another way of saying that I’m not enough as I am and my blog post is not enough is it is. Maybe it’s just right. Maybe it’s perfect. Maybe it’s succinct and clear and concise and complete as it is.

But sometimes there’s that nagging little doubt, that thought that asks for a little bit more.

So, I may not have fully integrate the “I Am Enough” lesson, but whenever I catch myself thinking small like that, I am reminded of one of the most gracious actors I’ve ever met: Rodney Gardiner of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

After seeing him star as Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls a few months ago, my daughter Lexi and I got to meet him out on the lawn after the show. He was playing with his two kids and just hanging out, so our mutual friend Gilda introduced us.

He was so personable, friendly, genuine and generous with his time and attention and I loved every minute of our conversation. Because Lexi is considering a charter high school to focus on performing arts, I asked Rodney what advice he would give to a performer just starting out.

He said: “Know that you are enough. Just as you are right now. We can second guess ourselves and wonder if we should have done a role differently or bigger or smaller – it can eat us alive. The main thing I’ve learned as an actor is to know that I am enough. Right now.”

(Our whole conversation was like that – it was like talking to an enlightened spiritual master disguised as a ridiculously talented and nice guy.)

Lexi and I talked about that conversation on our drive home from Ashland that afternoon. She took his words to heart and I took that lesson home for myself, too.

And so, I’m thinking about Rodney today and his words of wisdom. I’m letting yesterday’s blog post go – and today’s too!

I am enough and so are you!

Now it’s your turn – in the comments below, let us know when you feel like you’re not enough and what you do about it. (And if you want to invoke Rodney, too, please join me in that!)

love, Cara