Friday, August 27, 2004

A Wonderful Poem

The Invitation
Oriah Mountain Dreamer
Copyright (c) 1999
Published by Mountain Dreaming

THE INVITATION

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 faithless and 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 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 a night of grief
and despair, weary and bruised to the bone,
and do what needs to be done for 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.





My beautiful sister-in-law, Shawn, sent me this poem this morning and I wanted to share it with everyone as I thought it was a wonderful one and shared sentiment that was in my soul as well.  Living daily life is important, but actually jumping in and experiencing life with empathy, desire, trustworthiness, gusto.....etc. is extra important.  I know that this is particularly hard when one has daily depression, mood swings, and daily pain as I do.  So I salute all of you who are joining in with life and actually winning this battle.  Even if it is something small on some days.    I hope everyone enjoyed it!   Krissy and her fiance, John, are coming over to watch a movie, The Princess Diaries with me today at 1:00pm.  I am really looking forward to this as I haven't relaxed and taken any time out for myself and just "gotten away from it all".  To those of you in the U.K.-  My prayers are with all of you, that Charley will be kind to you and that there will be little flooding and damage done.  I know that when it rains on me and it is windy my fibro. acts up as does my depression.  It is the curse of the chronically ill.  Do take care of yourselves over there!  Sending prayers!

3 comments:

  1. I love this poem!  For whatever reason, it really touches me, speaks to me.  Thank you so much for sharing it.  Take care.
    Susan

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  2. Beautiful poem Val.  Sorry I couldn't stay too long with the movie. -Krissy
    http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink

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  3. I loved the poem, thank you for sharing it with us.
    Like you, my fibro is greatly affected by the weather. I live in the south of England so will not be affected by Charley but my famly, sisters and brother etc, all live in the  North and they have had warnings about him. Thank you for thinkin about us especially as you and your family have had such a rough time. Your an angel :).......Jules xx
    http://journals.aol.co.uk/jules19642001/Itsmylife/

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