The invitation
by Oriah Mountain Dreamer
It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.
It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain!I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it, or fix it.
I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human.
It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul; if you can be faithlessand therefore trustworthy.
I want to know if you can see beauty even when it's not pretty, every day,and if you can source your own life from its presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “Yes!”
It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up, after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done to feed the children.
It doesn't interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.
It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you, from the inside, when all else falls away.
I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.
This is an interesting piece, Marja. I'm curious to know if it native American or NZ in origin. I've been trying to find the info through google but I'm only finding the poem.
ReplyDeleteWOW, After reading such a deeply emotive poem - one cannot help but feel such powerful emotions!!
ReplyDeleteWorthy of the highest praise!!
It is native American I think. I found it on the net Wynn so I have no idea. Did you try Oriahe Mountain dreamer?
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful peter isn't it.
This Marja, is now my favorite poem. Please know how truly grateful I am that you posted it. It's simply, the best I've read in sometime. You are something else. :)
ReplyDeleteLove, Ann
Oh that's a coincidence I can see why. i think it is one of the most beautiful I ever read too. What do you mean by you are something else?
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry Marja, I meant you're a diamond in the rough. I need to slow down while writing comments, I apologize.
ReplyDeleteI'm having an awful time today trying to post the comments to Tuesday's Question and I stopped to get your link. I was just writing too fast. "You're something else", is a Southern American expression or slang. By the way, I just received the children's book I spoke of (I Love You More) in the mail today. I will post the review either tonight or tomorrow. I'll let you know~ :)
Ann
Thanks you so much Ann. That lifts me up. Have a bit of a bad day today. Hope you get things right and I am very excited about your book. I like the title.
ReplyDeleteWhat a find! I'm so glad I came here and read it.A truly wonderful and thought provoking poem.
ReplyDeleteIt´s a really beautiful poem again ,Marja!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your nice german words!Your german is really good!You have see in my blog...Yesterday evening Anne,my older daughter,could meet her idol the dutch football player Rafael van der Vaart...
Have a nice day!
Thanks steffi. My german used to be as good as my english. I am happy to practise a little bit again because when I try to speak german these days only english words are coming up. Habit I think. We lived close to the german border and often went there. Beautiful country. Oh and how exciting for Anne. I really miss the soccer as well.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. a bit like you!
ReplyDelete