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 hearts longing,
It
doesn’t interest me how old you are.
I
want to know if you 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’ve 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,
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, or remember the limitations of being human.
It
doesn’t interest me if the story your telling is true
I
want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself.
If
you can bear accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul.
I
want to know if you can be faithful and therefore trustworthy
I
want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not pretty everyday.
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 full moon, “YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES”.
It
doesn’t interest me to know where you live,
And
how much money you have.
I
want to know if you can get up after a night of 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, and 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 empty moments.