The Invitation by Oriah

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 foolfor lovefor your dreamfor 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

be realistic

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 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 standin 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
keepin the empty moments.