John O'Donohue on Grief

John O'Donohue is best known for his book, Anam Cara, A Book of Celtic Wisdom. He was a poet, philosopher, and scholar--from the back cover of the book. O'Donohue died unexpectedly in January 2008 just after his 52nd birthday. He was a former priest who left the priesthood to devote himself to writing and public speaking.

But in the words he left, I can see that he was more than all that. He offered a glimpse of Heaven and what God is like, and in that sense he was a messenger from God--not an angel but a brother who shared what God revealed to him. In the video below, he is reciting a poem he wrote called Beannacht, which means Blessing in Irish. Apparently he recorded this not long before his death.

I found the words to be comforting and a gentle hug to a grieving heart. My sister passed away last August and my dad last October. Grieving is not fun, and although it gets better, it never totally goes away. If you've lost a loved one, be sure and watch this.