I remember my dad telling me this story and I always loved it. For the longest time, I thought he had made it up himself. It wasn’t until much later that I learned it was originally written by Heinrich Böll. Many know it by a different title: The Parable of the Mexican Fisherman.
At the time, we were living in Jamaica, so my dad changed the setting and details to reflect where we were. While the deeper meaning of the story probably went over my head back then, I could tell it mattered to him. I loved seeing his face light up at the end. Even if I didn’t fully understand why, I knew the story was important—and that one day, it might be important to me too.
Now, it’s a story I carry with me as a reminder: To enjoy life as it is, not just as I hope it might be. To notice and appreciate all that I have, even as I work toward my goals and dreams.
In a world where we’re constantly striving for more—more money, a bigger house, a better car—it’s easy to forget the beauty in what’s already here.
This is how the story goes:
One day an American investment banker was wandering around a small coastal Jamaican village when he noticed a fisherman on a small boat with several large fish.
The American was impressed and asked how long it took to catch them. The fisherman replied, “Only a little while.” The American then asked, “Why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?” The fisherman said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs.
The American then asked, “What do you do with the rest of your time?”
The fisherman smiled and replied, “Well, I sleep in late, catch some fish, and enjoy the rest of the day with my family. Then in the evening I stroll into the village to play guitar and dance with my friends.”
The American said, “But why don’t you spend more time fishing, and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat? Then, with the extra money, you could buy several boats. Eventually, you could move to New York City and run your business.”
The fisherman asked, “But how long will all this take?” The American replied, “Maybe about 15 to 20 years.”
“And then what?” asked the fisherman.
The American laughed and said, “Well, you would become very rich! You’d make millions!”
“Oh,” said the fisherman. “Millions… then what?”
The American said, “Well… I suppose you would then retire… Move to a small village where you would sleep in late, go fishing, spend time with your family, and play music with your friends in the evenings…”
How often do you find yourself like the American in this story chasing more without stopping to ask, “What is enough?”
Enough money.
Enough validation.
Enough productivity.
How do you know when you’ve ‘arrived’?
It’s a question worth sitting with. Because if we never define what “enough” looks like for us, we may spend our whole lives chasing it.
If this resonates with you, I’ve just published a book filled with more gentle, meaningful stories like this one.
It’s called The Enchanted Collection: Short bedtime stories of morals and magic for children and adults alike, and it’s now available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3R3pX1C
Art Therapy with Kimberly 