John O’Donohue - The Inner History of a Day
Ivan M. Granger December 31st, 2008
The Inner History of a Day
by John O’Donohue
No one knew the name of this day;
Born quietly from deepest night,
It hid its face in light,
Demanded nothing for itself,
Opened out to offer each of us
A field of brightness that traveled ahead,
Providing in time, ground to hold our footsteps
And the light of thought to show the way.
The mind of the day draws no attention;
It dwells within the silence with elegance
To create a space for all our words,
Drawing us to listen inward and outward.
We seldom notice how each day is a holy place
Where the eucharist of the ordinary happens,
Transforming our broken fragments
Into an eternal continuity that keeps us.
Somewhere in us a dignity presides
That is more gracious than the smallness
That fuels us with fear and force,
A dignity that trusts the form a day takes.
So at the end of this day, we give thanks
For being betrothed to the unknown
And for the secret work
Through which the mind of the day
And wisdom of the soul become one.
— from To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings, by John O’Donohue
/ Photo by Esparta /
Today, as we stand at the cusp of the new year, I thought this meditation on the day was the perfect selection.
We seldom notice how each day is a holy place
Where the eucharist of the ordinary happens,
Transforming our broken fragments
Into an eternal continuity that keeps us.
The day, the multitude of days, the present moment that spreads in all directions, revealing itself as the eternal moment…
Midnight, tonight, on New Years’ Eve, the whole world becomes aware of time, the passing of time, the closing of the past, the hopes and aspirations for the new year, the new chapter in our lives. Intensely aware of time, we discover something of the timeless. A global reset button.
But, you know, that timeless moment doesn’t sit only at twelve midnight on this one night of the year; it is the silence behind each tick of the clock and each beat of the heart, every day, year round.
So at the end of this day, we give thanks
For being betrothed to the unknown
And for the secret work
Through which the mind of the day
And wisdom of the soul become one.
Have a new year filled with renewed hope and purpose, new possibilities, deepening peace, and the discovery of surprising new spaces in the heart.
Lots of love to you all!
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John O’Donohue
Ireland (1954 - 2008) Timeline |
John O’Donohue is an inspiring Irish philosopher, poet, mystic who passed away unexpectedly in early 2008.
John O’Donohe had degrees in philosophy and literature. His writings, though grounded in academic philosophy and theology, are immediate, personal, very human. He was as much a mystic and a poet as a contributor to philosophical dialog.
Much of his writing and poetry drew deeply from Irish Celtic perspectives, both in Christian and pre-Christian wisdom, while speaking to a widely diverse, modern audience.
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Thank you for the poem, so fitting for the end of the year - this sense of gratitude - and for the great wisdom in Thought for the Day: ‘Read these words, but ignore them. The silence will teach you.’ Truly, it is *only* in silence that knowing - real knowing - comes.
‘There is a thread from the heart to the lips
where the secret of life is woven.
Words tear the thread
but in silence the secret speaks.’
(Mevlana)
And may you, Ivan, be blessed always for the inspiration and wisdom which you channel into the world, bringing so much light. A very happy and gift-filled 2009 to you.
Dear Ivan,
This poem by John O’Donahue was perfect for my New Years Eve day. John passed away at the beginning of the year, -a very significant passing in my life - and now you have given his words back at the end of the year - to act like two contemplative “book ends”
“…Each day is a holy place
Where the Eucharist of the ordinary happens…”
I want to keep this thought alive in my heart
Thanks for these beautiful poems delivered to my email each day. They are so cleansing of my soul.
Jessica
(jamm)