News
Yes, enough is enough
It has been said that when you compare yourself with others, two things can happen and both are harmful: you may decide you are better than other people, or you may conclude that other people are better than you, which will leave you feeling unsettled dissatisfied and discouraged. As one commentator observed: “For some people, the pleasure of having something good is drained as soon as they see someone else with something better. Our sense of contentment is created or destroyed by comparisons. A life consumed with unfulfilled wants is an affliction. The antidote is the concept of ‘enough.’”
It’s a common tendency to measure our self-worth by our possessions. But the world’s happiest people are not the most prosperous—they have simply learned to distinguish between needs and wants, between sufficiency and abundance. They still set goals, strive for excellence and do their best to succeed. But their peace and contentment come more from what they give than from what they have. They know that “enough is enough.”
We all know such happy people; they’re found all over the world, in every social class and economic situation. We know people who also seem to have so much but remain unsatisfied. The truth is, we can never acquire enough of what we don’t really need. Endlessly searching and striving for more and better can lead to sleepless nights and unhappy days. The sooner we discover the joy of “enough,” the sooner we will find peace, even in the midst of life’s reversals and misfortunes.
When we’re young, we think about how much better life will be when we have more money. When we’re older and have more money, we look back and remember the happy times when we had so little. Almost everywhere we turn, money seems to be a focal point. Game shows and lotteries hold out the succulent carrot of being rich. It becomes the dream of many—too often at a very high cost.
Most of us are familiar with the phrase “Money is the root of all evil.” Money has its rightful place—we need it to pay for the necessities of life. It’s not money that’s the root of evil, but rather the love of money. To spend life in constant pursuit of making more and more can become an obsession. The goal to be wealthy can take over a person’s life. Henry Fielding observed, “Make money your god, [and] it will plague you like the devil.” When it becomes our driving force, it’s then that we lose sight of what really matters.
A man took a serious look at his life and determined that it had become out of balance. Climbing the financial ladder of success was eating up the precious days, weeks and years of his young family’s life. He realised that too soon his children would be grown and gone, and that his relationship with his wife was gradually diminishing into the shadow of his corporate career. He made the difficult decision to step down a rung on the ladder of success and give himself more time with his family. Ancient Chinese wisdom says, “He who knows he has enough is rich.”
A woman who had worked hard to achieve the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a company, spending nearly every waking hour on the job, came to the realisation that enough is enough. She and her husband re-evaluated their life goals and what they wanted to do with their time. She decided to quit work, and he to cut back on his hours. They now have time to enjoy each other and their children, and have time also to serve in their church and community. It’s no longer important for them to drive new fancy cars nor have a big, elaborate home. They have genuine joy in their life. Money has now taken its place as their friend instead of their enemy.
One elderly woman learned this truth as she adjusted to her new home. It was much smaller than the house where she raised her family, but she grew to love the window that looked out on the courtyard. She became grateful for a smaller kitchen, fewer rooms to dust and decorate, but just enough space to welcome her loved ones. Her new home was enough to meet her needs, and she was happy in it.
Yes, improvement and betterment are vital, but bigger is not always better, and less is often more. Ultimately, the most fortunate people are not those who have what they want but those who want what they have.
By Samuel Enos Eghan
Troubled and anxious citizens in Damongo of the Savannah Region have expressed concerns about the number of young people, believed to be under the age of 18, involved in ‘shisha’ smoking in pubs and drinking spots within the township.
Eyewitnesses say the minors were seen patronising nightlife venues, where Shisha smoking happen in the open.
The situation has sparked renewed public concern over the enforcement of child protection laws and regulations governing the operations of entertainment centres in the municipality and country as a whole.
An eyewitness, who spoke to The Spectator on conditions of anonymity for security reasons, noted that the situation was becoming increasingly common.
“This is not a one-off incident. It is becoming very common, but residents like us cannot openly report or speak about it because our lives will be at risk,” he said.
Under Ghanaian law, minors were prohibited from patronising Shisha.
Public health experts have consistently warned that shisha use exposes users to harmful substances that can negatively affect brain development, respiratory health, and overall well-being, particularly among young people.
The residents believe the alleged incidents point to broader challenges relating to youth supervision, substance abuse, and weak enforcement of existing regulations and have called on municipal authorities, security agencies, and regulatory bodies to intensify monitoring of pubs and entertainment centres to ensure compliance with the law.
In an effort to address the menace, Mr Salisu Be-Awurbi, the Savannah Regional Minister, has led public education campaigns, engaged security agencies, and supported enforcement actions to address the rising use of illicit substances in the region.
Wura Kelly Seidu Boresah I, the Chief of Damongo, has also called on all stakeholders including parents, community leaders, institutions, and young people to actively support efforts to curb drug abuse, warning that the rising consumption of hard drugs poses a serious health threat to the future of the youth in the Savannah Region.
He also cautioned individuals involved in the sale and distribution of illicit drugs to immediately desist from the practice, stressing that offenders will face arrest and prosecution in accordance with the law.
From Geoffrey Buta, Damongo, Savannah Region
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Dr Theresa Baffour, an advocate for ending violence and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SAHM SAHW Foundation, has said that society plays a critical and pivotal role in breaking the cycle of domestic violence.
According to her, domestic violence is a major contributor of making women, who are mostly the victims, mentally derailed and unable to engage in economic activities.
She said this when the foundation called on the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, to solicit support for the initiative by the “Strong and Healthy Minds, Strong and Healthy Women” (SAHM SAHW) to combat domestic violence within the Ga State.
The visit was occasioned by the fact that domestic violence cases have become quite prevalent in the Ga communities and is retarding growth.
According to her, the canker was an impediment to national development because the victims were usually tortured and would have to go through series of therapies to return to the right state of mind.
Dr Baffour mentioned that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) places a mental toll on women, and was, therefore, important to break the cycle through comprehensive mental health support, crisis intervention and empowerment programmes in communities with high rates of GBV.
This intervention, she underscored, would help in empowering the denigrated victim of domestic violence to soundly heal, build and thrive.
Dr Baffour added that the initiative would provide holistic, trauma-informed mental health care and advocacy for young women affected by domestic violence.
According to her, the above statement would create safe spaces for healing and equipping them with entrepreneurial skills for renewed hope and empowered life.
The Ga Mantse pledged his support for the laudable initiative to combat domestic violence and also acknowledged the need to address it in the Ga State.
Further endorsement came from Justice Julia Naa-Yarley Adjei Amoah, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Ga Mantse, as she commended the team of SAHM SAHW Foundation for taking a bold step to end the canker in the Greater Accra.
She added that it was a step in the right direction to save vulnerable women from torture, stress and emotional abuse.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
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