For The Interim Time John O Donohue
John O’Donohue’s poem, For the Interim Time, is an excellent example of how we can make the best of the present by embracing the interim time. The poem, originally published in 2008, is about the importance of allowing oneself the chance to seek out what matters most in life. The book is an important read, especially for anyone looking for a new perspective on life.
The end of day arrives too early and the night is already starting to fall. No place is quite like it used to be. Trees are rendered groundless by the waning light. The passage that brought you here has been washed away and the path to the next place is hidden. For the interim time, it is time to face the uncertainty. In this world, we are always in a state of unease.
The fading day, the waning light and the onset of night, all have the same effect. The trees and the landscape are groundless. For a person, for a moment, this is the same situation. The path to get to where you are has been washed away. It is a dark time; the path forward is concealed. The interim time is an ideal time to reflect on life.
The end of the day is too soon. Night is too soon, and no place is the same. In the waning light, the trees are groundless. This is the time of the interim, when the path to where you are has been washed away. The path to where you need to go is hidden. The way to where you need to go is a secret. The time is right now.
It is too early for the end of the day to be called the end of night. The trees are groundless in the waning light. The time of the interim is a time of in-between. There are no paths to get to where you want to be and no way to get from here. This time is a time of rebirth, a time to find yourself.
For the interim time, the day has come and gone. Night has not yet fallen, and it is still too early for the day to end. No place is the same, the paths have been washed out, and the way forward is hidden. A path that leads to the future is a path of introspection. It’s the time of introspection. This time of introspection is a period of transition.
