I love the start of a new year. Days stretch before us full of promise, newness and undiscovered goodness. I pray you savor many blessings in 2022.
John O’Donohue wrote a wonderful book titled, To Bless the Space Between Us, full of blessings for many occasions. I like to close a spiritual direction session by reading one of these blessings for the directees. I find his words bless me too.
Last year I shared his blessing for a new year. This year I thought his words about the end of the year also could lead us to reflect and behold life. May this words bless you now too.
At The End Of The Year
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.
What blessings are you looking forward to most in 2022?
‘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.’
Yes, this prayer says what’s rattling around inside my head and heart, Jean. Nearer, my God to Thee!
Amen.
Nearer to God in Thee – how perfect!
What a lovely prayer for the end of the year, Jean. I love the lines, “When the veil lifted and the soul could see delight.” Even during Covid restrictions, God raised the veil of discouragement as we experienced delight in nature, His Word, virtual friendships and many more ways. As for 2022, I’m looking forward to Covid down-sizing to a flu-like menace, no longer capable of creating wide-spread chaos!
May we both dwell in a delight in 2022!!
Dear Jesus…thank you for taking care of us and for taking care of martha at this time….peace and comfort to her and her family and friends..
amen. amen,
Jean – Martha is in the hospital with bacterial pneumonia and she wanted me to let you know. This all came to a head on Sunday. Being this is just Tuesday, she seems to be getting better a little at a time. I cannot visit due to covid rules so that makes it even more difficult. She is not likely to be released before the weekend. Please keep her in your prayers as I know you will.
Oh Danny, Please let Martha know she is in my prayers and I will keep her lifted up for healing and health.
Please tell Martha I will be praying also–that her symptoms would rapidly improve so she can go home earlier than predicted–where she can really rest.