In my ministry Integration class they handed us a copy of this poem earlier this week, and it’s been on my mind the past few days. I think it exemplifies what I value and see as being “real” in life. I just wanted to share this with you guys. what do you think of it?
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 centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled 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.
I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is 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 at 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 centre 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.
Thanks Jo. That was so good. It really shows that things of this world and what they think are important have no hold on God’s kingdom. He does not care about what brands we buy, what car we drive, how nice our car is and so on. He wants to see what we invest our souls into…him.
Thanks for sharing!
Wow Jo, This really speaks my heart about the important things of life. I would love to know where it comes from and who the author is —
Thanks guys. i thought you would appreciate it. it definitely makes me think about what matters in life. It’s written by “Oriah Mountain Dreamer” I think it’s a part of a book she wrote.