The late John O’Donohue’s words touched me in this Facebook post last week. Read on, and I’ll explain afterward.
“At any time you can ask yourself: At which threshold am I now standing? At this time in my life, what am I leaving? Where am I about to enter? What is preventing me from crossing my next threshold? What gift would enable me to do it? A threshold is not a simple boundary; it is a frontier that divides two different territories, rhythms, and atmospheres. Indeed, it is a lovely testimony to the fullness and integrity of an experience or a stage of life that it intensifies toward the end into a real frontier that cannot be crossed without the heart being passionately engaged and woken up. At this threshold a great complexity of emotion comes alive: confusion, fear, excitement, sadness, hope. This is one of the reasons such vital crossings were always clothed in ritual. It is wise in your own life to be able to recognize and acknowledge the key thresholds: to take your time; to feel all the varieties of presence that accrue there; to listen inward with complete attention until you hear the inner voice calling you forward. The time has come to cross.”
–JOHN O’DONOHUE
Excerpt from his book: To Bless the Space Between Us (US)
Everyone’s talking about an emerging new normal and how to navigate it. The idea that most of us are on a personal and collective threshold feels about right to me. A transition is upon us. I guess it could be said that we are always on the brink, but this threshold could be the dawn of something wonderful if we are willing to explore a bit.
Personally, I’m finding that I’m having a “true north” type of desire to make use of this moment in time to notice what’s right in front of me, what the threshold invites me to do, but also to create and set into motion what I want in this new normal.
Take the time to answer the questions O’Donohue poses as they are a perfect invitation and a great way to take look inward.
I’m pleasantly surprised to be looking forward to the adventure. Perhaps you’ll find it’s time to cross a threshold, too.
As always, we’d love to hear your personal insights.
Mary Anne Wampler
PRINCIPAL, TRANSFORM, INC.
