You are in this time of the interim
Where everything seems withheld.
John O'Donohue, For the Interim Time
I often turn to the poets to figure out how to make sense of the world. Today, John O'Donohue's quiet and beautiful book
To Bless the Space Between Us stood out from amongst its peers on my shelf. And his poem,
For the Interim Time, was the text I needed.
In the past few weeks, we've been prescribed social distancing of 6 feet between us to avoid COVID-19 infection and spread. At a time when we yearn for connection, we must create a literal distance for the greater good. In this interim time, we are unsure of so many things. Do I have enough food? Can I see my dad? Should we cancel that event? Will I be able to work? How did I become "elderly?"
There are no exhales in those questions. There is no refinement of the heart, as O'Donohue promises in his poem. There is no connection to beauty.
Notice 5 things you see.
Notice 4 things you feel.
Notice 3 things you hear.
Notice 2 things you smell.
Notice 1 thing you taste.
What does seem like perfect timing for this interim time is our second annual
Mindful Poetry Month offering with the On Being Project for National Poetry Month. One thing I know for sure is that we can all experience beauty together, with this shared experience. Whether we are knee to knee, side by side, or virtually connected, we can bless the space between us.
In health and harmony,
Stacy Sims
