RECENTLY I was told the the following story.

A Zen teacher was at a dinner party in upstate New York and he was told by the host   that a young man at the party had just made his first billion dollars and was aiming to double that in the next year. The Zen man was asked what he thought of that incredible wealth. He replied that he had what the billionaire had not. He was asked what that was and he replied: "I have enough."

I loved hearing that story.

For me, enough is enough and to be honest I personally have had more than enough. Of course I can only thank AA for that, for giving me the gift of all gifts – sobriety.

Whenever I look around me today, I see folk bombarded with all sorts of advertising coming from all directions; my heart breaks as I know that some people go into debt this time of year – Christmas, the sales – in order to acquire that alluring, glittering gold. 

I often wonder what ever happened to the aul' ways of Belfast when people were there for each other in the giving spirit of community when we shared what we could with our neighbours as we supported each other through the hard times – and they were hard times. 

Now we find ourselves in what can only be described as even harder times. With the cost of living through the roof it is for some a luxury having a roof over their heads. 

We need to get back to basics; we need to reconnect; and most of all we need to realise that Enough is Enough 

 A way back in the not too distant past, the Twinbrook Tenants' and Community Association were well aware what was required to provide dignity and respect to the residents of Twinbrook – and that was the need for community to be at the heart of our daily lives.

Way back then, almost everyone was in the same boat and that boat appeared to be sinking without the buoyancy of community, and it was through community that the boat began to float and sail to a better future.

I personally can bear witness to that transformation, not only was I member of the Tenants' Association but I was a willing participant in the activities for growth right across the board. 

I must pay tribute to the Rt Hon Bobby Sands MP, who had and shared the vision of the need to cultivate the ground for growth, through culture, education, language, poetry – the list goes on – as he made myself and others aware that everyone had a part to play and that we were all in this together.

It was through his eyes that I became inspired to participate in his vision. 

The great news is that it working. I can now see the integration of what was at one time segregation and fragmentation. We believed that the impossible was possible and from that we discovered that the possibilities were endless, because we all had our part to play to support each other. This was not to be achieved individually, it came through community.

As I look forward to the New Year, I am going to double my effort for reconnection through participation in our fair city.