a year ago today…
(Gareth, Martin and the beguiling Father O, Greenbelt 07: picture courtesy of Pip Wilson)
… we lost him – he went to a world within a world - no longer could we touch him, but still his fragrance lingered on. In the words of Randy Newman; ‘When somebody loved me, everything was beautiful…. every hour we spent together lives within my heart.’ Whether you spent one hour or one thousand with John you were left with one abiding memory…beauty.
Every now and then someone comes along whose life and words offer a deeper mystery: a sacramental presence even. John was one of those rare people, his words acting like invisible stepping-stones, holding a tenderness and a beauty of a time that most have forgotten, forming the texture of our soul by offering the broken beauty and fragrance of Gethsemane. Here’s what I mean:
On the death of the Beloved
Though we need to weep your loss,
You dwell in that safe place in our hearts,
Where no storm or might or pain can reach you.
Your love was like the dawn
Brightening over our lives
Awakening beneath the dark
A further adventure of colour.
The sound of your voice
Found for us
A new music
That brightened everything.
Whatever you enfolded in your gaze
Quickened in the joy of its being;
You placed smiles like flowers
On the altar of the heart.
Your mind always sparkled
With wonder at things.
Though your days here were brief,
Your spirit was live, awake, complete.
We look towards each other no longer
From the old distance of our names;
Now you dwell inside the rhythm of breath,
As close to us as we are to ourselves.
Though we cannot see you with outward eyes,
We know our soul’s gaze is upon your face,
Smiling back at us from within everything
To which we bring our best refinement.
Let us not look for you only in memory,
Where we would grow lonely without you.
You would want us to find you in presence,
Beside us when beauty brightens,
When kindness glows
And music echoes eternal tones.
When orchids brighten the earth,
Darkest winter has turned to spring;
May this dark grief flower with hope
In every heart that loves you.
May you continue to inspire us:
To enter each day with a generous heart.
To serve the call of courage and love
Until we see your beautiful face again
In that land where there is no more separation,
Where all tears will be wiped from our mind,
And where we will never lose you again.
John O’Donohue
I’m guessing heaven now smells of firewater and John is still taking God to task over one or two things…many miss you still John, Greenbelt, both sides of the pond and even our planet are poorer for your passing; you are still my friend and I miss that when I am in Ireland and at Gb you will not fill my life with big moments anymore. Love and thoughts especially though today go to Kristine… his heartbeat, his soul mate…
That brought a tear to my eye and a lump to my throat. What a deeply touching tribute to a great man. I know a little about John through Dana and that is a situation I must rectify soon. These words were my favourite……
Whatever you enfolded in your gaze
Quickened in the joy of its being;
You placed smiles like flowers
On the altar of the heart.
Your mind always sparkled
With wonder at things.
….sigh….just superb. Thankyou.
Romany Angel
January 3, 2009 at 10:58 am
gareth and I met him in Belfast a few years back now… he was quite honestly the most intoxicating man i have ever met – he wooed, seduced almost us all with his easy charm. If you were ever in his life, even for a minute, you were always in it….but oh man when the firewater (he never called it whiskey) came out…. stories came in abundance
a truly beautiful soul… who had a body for a while….
his book beauty is a good place to start
paulwchambers
January 3, 2009 at 11:11 am
ps, this was a beautiful moment where John was blessing in Gaelic a pair of rings for a wedding to come… pip and i one side and dr higgins and mr wroe the other… a truly ‘thin’ moment from a man who more than most knew the wonder of things…
paulwchambers
January 3, 2009 at 11:15 am
I will always be grateful to you for introducing John O’Donahue to me and forever grateful to him for offering me food and drink for my soul…. and for providing the words to describe my friendship with you.
dana
January 3, 2009 at 11:25 am
dana
you know of all the people i know who never got to meet him – i lament you didn’t most…
paulwchambers
January 3, 2009 at 11:26 am
you have made me laugh and cry in one morning! thank you xx
dana
January 3, 2009 at 11:49 am
ah, you know me… it’s usually one or the other I guess – so am guessing both is a bonus??!!
paulwchambers
January 3, 2009 at 11:51 am
a laugh and a cry culminates in a beautiful salty grin. yes…a bonus.
I was sitting beside a woman at the b-ball tourney this morning…her son is friends with Max. We’re just getting to know one another….turns out she likes to write, is irish, loves celtic music, poetry, dance etc…… I pulled my dog-eared copy of Anam Cara out of my purse and gave it to her to read. Its actually the 4 copy I’ve purchased since my first one I bought in London at Hatchards with Pip.
dana
January 3, 2009 at 3:26 pm
I am sorry for your loss. What a treasure to have his written words that will last long after he met his Jesus face to face. Dana introduced me as well to his writings-she’s a special woman!
Paul, I was reading this morning in Amos 5 (from The Message) and thought of you in regards to the atrocities in Gaza and your deep sorrow and deep compassion for these people. I read the following (the word lament and weep stood out to me because of a comment I think you made on Dana’s blog but not about Gaza, but it pertains!),
” …Hate evil and love good, then work it out in the public square. Maybe God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies will notice your remnant and be gracious…Go out into the streets and lament loudly! Fill the malls and shops with cries of doom! Weep loudly, ‘Not me! Not us, Not now!’ Empty offices , stores factories, workplaces. Enlist everyone in the general lament. I want to hear it loud and clear when I make my visit.” God’s Decree….”
Actually, the rest of the chapter is amazing to read too, especially in The Message. Be encouraged to show Jesus to these people. There is a reason you feel such a deep connection and I am confident God will reveal it to you- maybe He already has! I’m just joining your journey!!:)
One more thing before I sign off…Dana sent me a link to your old blog so I could read some of your writings there. I see you were friends with Mike Yaconelli. I used to work for Youth For Christ in western and eastern Canada for a little over 10 years. When I lived out west, we took our students down to LA to the YS conventions so I had the privilege of hearing Mike speak on numerous occasions. Read his books for my youth ministry class at Bible College years ago too!! I have also been to numerous YS Core seminars- one of my old profs teaches for YS (Marv Penner) It was a tragic loss. I am no longer in full time ministry-taking a break- was “spiritually abused” – a long story!:) But one day I may return! The healing has taken place!! Praise God! For right now, God has continually openned the doors for me with my job as an Educational Assistant to show His love and compassion to the students I work with – and His truth…I work in a multi-cultural school and can’t believe how many questions I get about my faith and what I believe. I am able to share which is exciting!! So…it is full time ministry!! Take care and have a great day, Karyne
Karyne Whalen
January 3, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Paul,
I remember this sad loss from last year. Dana introduced me to John and she met him from you. I send you my thoughts today.
My life has taken a deep dark turn lately…why is life so damn horrible most of the time? I really don’t get it.
Barbara
January 4, 2009 at 12:45 am
Thanks for stopping by my blog. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.
butterflygirl
January 4, 2009 at 5:00 am
What a loving tribute…
I’ve never heard of John but now i’m quite intrigued.
Thanks for stopping by my blog-wonder how you came across it?
I’m always excited to find another wonderful well written and photographic blog! Off to peruse some more…
Where are you located?
RunninL8
January 4, 2009 at 6:20 pm
I’m sorry I never met him, and I am sorry for the loss. Everything seems to be quite sorry, at the moment.
Niki
January 7, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Hey you…hope you’re ok….it’s gone a bit quiet over here. I’m missing your wise words
Romany Angel
January 9, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Hi Paul. I’m sorry you lost your friend. Your tribute to him here is really touching.
Also, thanks for checking up on me when I was lost! I have been ill and morose and…well…other things. But I’m back now. I think.
I hope you feel better soon.
Charli
January 9, 2009 at 7:39 pm
Paul what a wonderful and thought provoking memory. John sounds to me like one of those beautiful music compositions that are with you agin in a heartbeat. I am so glad you had the opportunity to hear his song
Linda
Linda Socha
January 11, 2009 at 2:03 am
Hi there, I was pleased to see you at my site today and have come over to offically tag you for that Meme. It’s actually quite a fun one to do and I really appreciate you taking the time when you have so much on your mind. I’m sending you a gentle hug {Paul} and hope tomorrow will be a better day.
Romany Angel
January 12, 2009 at 11:26 am
I have just ordered the book ‘Beauty,’ written by your late friend, John O’Donohue. He seems to have been a wonderful, insightful and deeply caring man. His book sounds perfectly suited to me at this time. ~ We all need to seek beauty, especially in troubled times.
Be well, Paul. It’s good you are taking time away for yourself. Many blessings to you!
Calli
January 16, 2009 at 1:36 pm
big thank you all for your blog support and cyber hug/squeezes…
John filled my life with big moments for sure, still hard to think he’s gone…
glad so many of you have found his work so inspiring and helpful – he would have been moved deeply by that…
interesting that Gov. O’Malley in Baltimore welcomed Obama with a blessing from dear John……
paulwchambers
January 19, 2009 at 9:54 am