The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer, Indian 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 interest 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 become shriviled 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
ectasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning
us to be careful, be realistic or to remember the limititations of being
human.
It doesn't interest me if the story you're telling me is true. I want to
know if you can disapponit 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. I want to
know if you can live with failure--yours or mine ----and stand still on
the edge of a 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 for
the children.
It doesn't interest me who you are, 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 the empty moments.

OMG I love her works! She has a website did you know that?
http://www.oriahmountaindreamer.com/other.html

oo no I did not know she had a website..off now to check it out thanks
Karen!!!

i had my eyes glued ...it really makes you think.

Boy don't it ever actually read the whole thing
even tho we all can say yes can we really be all
that and do the things that should be done?

I think that by far that is her best piece but thats just personal to
everyone isnt it

I know I can't and don't do this all the time, but I strive to,. This
was sent to me a few years ago, when I was going through a really really
rough time emotionally, it helped greatly.

WOW CCP
them where beautiful and very touching words,

lovely, I love it!!!!!!!

I didn't write this, Oriah Mountain Dreamer did, I could never in a
million years write this well..shes soooo amazing