Friday, December 31, 2010

Year's End

John O'Donohue's words may explain all my trips to the ocean this year. This blessing describes what is in my heart on this New Year's Eve ~

At the End of the Year
by John O'Donohue

The particular mind of the ocean
Filling the coastline's longing
With such brief harvest
Of elegant, vanishing waves
Is like the mind of time
Opening us shapes of days.

As this year draws to its end,
We give thanks for the gifts it brought
And how they became inlaid within
Where neither time nor tide can touch them.

The days when the veil lifted
And the soul could see delight;
When a quiver caressed the heart
In the sheer exuberance of being here.

Surprises that came awake
In forgotten corners of old fields
Where expectation seemed to have quenched.

The slow, brooding times
When all was awkward
And the wave in the mind
Pierced every sore with salt.

The darkened days that stopped
The confidence of the dawn.

Days when beloved faces shone brighter
With light from beyond themselves;
And from the granite of some secret sorrow
A stream of buried tears loosened.

We bless this year for all we learned,
For all we loved and lost
And for the quiet way it brought us
Nearer to our invisible destination.

(From To Bless the Space Between Us, Doubleday, 2008, p. 159-60)

9 comments:

mermaid said...

What a beautiful poem, especially the last 2 lines.

Happy New Year, Sharon.

CaShThoMa said...

Beautiful poem, Sharon. Thanks for sharing.

Happy New Year, friend.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

One of my favorite poems ---
Happy New Year to you new friend.

teri said...

Lovely, lovely poem.

Helen said...

Peace, happiness, wisdom, love, laughter, self-fulfillment...

Blessings to you -- and all whose lives you touch -- as we journey this year toward our "invisible destination."

Laura said...

one of my favorite poems from one of my all time favorite poets sharon...so much to be grateful for...including friends like you:)

Anonymous said...

Oh Sharon, thank you for this wonderful blessing, a beautiful reminder of what life is about. It touched my heart, as this was a hard year for us, and these lines hit home:

"The darkened days that stopped
The confidence of the dawn."

I know you can relate to, as the poem clearly speaks to you.

I also love the way O'Donahue ended the poem with a line about gratitude to the year for bringing us where we need to be. Perfect.

Happy New Year, Sharon!

Carolynn Anctil said...

I think your 'word' for 2011 is an excellent choice. It's empowering. All the best to you on your journey in the coming year.

Cindy said...

Lovely poem. The "invisible destination" is a bit daunting to think about, but so beautifully said that it feels calming rather than fearful.