February 12, 2006

The Invitation

A wonderful friend of mine sent me this today... I thought I would share the words and the thoughts.

"The Invitation" by Oriah Mountain Dreamer, a Native American Elder

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 matter to me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams, 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 becomed shriveled and closed for 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 ecstacy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, or to remember the limitations of being human.It doesn't interest me if the story you're telling me is true. I want to know if you can disapoint another to be true to yourself, if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul.I want to know if you can be faithful and, therefore be trustworthy. I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not pretty every day, and if you can source your life from God's presence. I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of a lake and shout to the silver of the moon, "Yes!"It doesn't interest me who you are, or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of 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 empty moments.

5 comments:

Jennifer said...

Beautiful sentiments.

Unknown said...

That is beautiful!

Unknown said...

That is really beautiful. I often think to myself, do I like my company. . . I really love that.

To answer your question on my blog, I used the yarn color very similar to the one in the photo. I think my purple may be more "red" but it may just be the lighting. I'm moving along and looking forward to being able to wear it at the end of this challenge!

Stacie said...

I have been secretly reading your blog awhile. I love the pictures, you are an awesome photog! Found you via punk rawk purl. That was an inspiring post, thanks!

Jen said...

Thank you so much for that passage. It meant the world to me today. Just what I needed!