Sweet Darkness
When your eyes are tired
the world is tired also.

When your vision has gone
no part of the world can find you.

Time to go into the dark
where the night has eyes
to recognize its own.

There you can be sure
you are not beyond love.

The dark will be your womb
tonight.

The night will give you a horizon
further than you can see.

You must learn one thing.
The world was made to be free in.

Give up all the other worlds
except the one to which you belong

Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet
confinement of your aloneness
to learn

anything or anyone
that does not bring you alive

is too small for you.

— John O'Donahue, Anam Cara
Library of Congress has catalogued the hardcover edition as follows:
O'Donahue, John
Anam cara: a book of Celtic wisdom / John O'Donahue — 1st ed.

Purchase on Amazon.com
ISBN 0-06-018279-2 (hardback)
ISBN 0-06-092943-x (pbk.)

John O'Donohue on line: www.jodonohue.com