O’Donohue, Adams-McCaslin: Longing
Guest Writer: Pan Adams-McCaslin
“Blessed be the longing that brought you here
And quickens your soul with wonder.
May you have the courage to listen to the voice of desire
That disturbs you when you have settled for something safe.
May you have the wisdom to enter generously into your own unease
To discover the new direction your longing wants you to take.
May the forms of your belonging—in love, creativity, and friendship—
Be equal to the grandeur and the call of your soul.
May the one you long for long for you.”
John O’Donohue, “For Longing,” To Bless the Space Between Us, p. 35.
For me, spiritual direction has always been about being willing to enter into my own unease. Yet, because looking at my own frailties and failures has been painful at times, I’ve often wanted an easier, softer way- a new exercise, a way of journaling, a form of prayer that provides a rapid answer, a new kind of body work that would allow me to open myself to God’s desires for me.
But through the years, I’ve learned the best way for me to lean into my own morass, and discover my new direction, is to be still, to recognize that rest, silence, and surrender into the uncomfortable mess of unease brings light, creativity and a greater love for myself as I recognize that the one I long for, longs for me.
Pan Adams-McCaslin 12-20-17
Joanna joannaseibert.com