I expanded my vocabulary last week and learned a new Celtic word – HIRAETH.
Ever hear of it?
Even if you haven’t I bet you have experienced it.
The web site, Innerwoven, presented a five part series explaining this Celtic word. I encourage you to go there and read all of its wise and thought provoking words.
Hiraeth is actually a Welsh word that basically means longing or homesickness.
Robert Rife writes:
“It might be defined as a longing, a homesickness for a home to which one can never return. It is the unrequited hope that produces ever more unanswered longing. It is a grieving for the lost places and moments of one’s past – a sense of loss for loving moments and places, fondly remembered. It sits in the dream world where longing, belonging, home, and wanderlust meet.”
A few years ago my hubby and I discussed where we wanted to spend our rest of our lives. We just retired and the world was open to the next chapter in our lives. This small rural town I lived in for more than 30 years now – the longest place I have spent in my entire life – still didn’t feel quite like home.
I am not sure anyplace in earth provides that sense of comfort. I long for heaven – to return where I originally came from. To be with God.
Hiraeth is this deep longing for home.
Hiraeth is that distant voice calling you someplace else. That tug that draws you onward, searching for some unnamed consolation. A restlessness or hunger that can’t be satisfied.
“Longing is the deepest and most ancient voice
in the human soul”
John O’Donohue, Eternal Echoes
I like the metaphor that life is a journey. Now I have a word to accompany me in my travel to help explain the yearning for More. The Great Pursuer draws us into His arms, calling our names. And God does know our names.
Home is hiraeth and found only in God.
How do you describe your longing for God?
Hi Jean! I read that word, and my mind says ‘hear-eth’. Maybe this longing is a soft, sweet urging to go see Our Father again. What an interesting word! I like the theme of journey too, and this word really helps you to frame your thoughts as you move along. What a beautiful grace to have found this series! God is always so faithful and good. No wonder we want to go home!
Blessings,
Ceil
glad you liked the series and this new word, Ceil. I love that it sounds like hear-eth. Let us always “hearth: the Lord! The image of a journey has been strong in my spiritual life, another reason why this word appealed to me. fun finding a new way to describe our experiences with God. Have a great week.
The older I get the more HIREATH I experience–longing for this poor world to be remade, for the reunion with loved ones in heaven, for the striving to end, for the full experience of the glory of God, and more. I think that’s one of the blessings of aging: the things of this earth grow strangely dim, as the old hymn says, as the light of His glory and grace grows brighter on the horizon! Thank you, Jean, for introducing us to this new word that expresses so well our longing.
Thank Nancy. I too think as we embrace this second half of life we also embrace all these mixed tensions, learn lessons from failures and gather wisdom from everything when we are open. hope you are having a great weekend.
Jean, you are too kind for involving me in this discussion. I’m deeply grateful and humbled. Just for the record, the site is http://www.innerwoven.me (with 2 ‘n’s and not ‘t’). Peace, dear soul.
Thank you so much for drawing that typo to my attention. It has been corrected. I really enjoyed your entire series and hope my blog post draws more people to your wise words. Blessings!
Thanks so much, Jean, for your kindness in sharing this with your readers. Shalom and all good things!
Yes, definitely share that longing. I think we all do, though some of us are quicker to name it. Thanks for giving us a new word, too, Jean, though I’m at a loss as to how to pronounce it. 🙂 Blessings!
some of the web sites try to give help in pronunciation. I was still loss when I read them. LOL. I think just that someone ancient and full of wisdom named that deep feeling within me was comforting. Blessings on you too