Requiem for the end of a good day’s work

by Ger Murphy

So it ended,
So many years, so many tears,
souvenirs of trauma, tragedy and transformation.
I have listened since my twenties, understood since my thirties and felt since my forties.
By then the encased soul was stirring, thawing, coming to life.
Finally ready to meet the broken hearted,
Gilding the slow art of suffering.
The relief of waking up settled me to the task these past decades,
opening me to the dark art of good company.
I have grieved with the grieving, raged with the raped, and prayed with the unredeemed. I
have been father, teacher, brother, witness, friend.
I have been well used,
well paid, and well loved.
I found my place.
I learned to be whole hearted, open hearted, and fun.
I offered presence, pity and poems as we mulched personal madness into village medicine,
Love and wisdom drawing us on to heal the pain of separation, and soften the stories of lack.
We have been faithful to our task of coaxing shy soul into blessing.
Soon gratitude trumps greed, imagination flowers and the erotic is reborn.
Then soul called time, to be out of time, no longer on time, having a good time and not limited to this vtime.
Thank you for what we shared, for what was bared, how we cared for this great unfolding, the bringing through of life’s desire, living itself through us.
Thank you, thank me and thank the mystery.

Ger Murphy has worked as a psychotherapist for 35 years, was a founder of Inside Out and ICP and IAHIP, ran a psychotherapy training at Institute of Creative Counselling and Psychotherapy for 25 years, and continues to practice, and offer company to those seeking development individually and in groups. Ger has now paused his psychotherapy practice so as to allow “a fallow field” so he can allow space to discern his next offering. He can be contacted at germurphyster@gmail.com and at www.iccp.ie.

IAHIP 2023 - INSIDE OUT 100 - Summer 2023