An Invitation

The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

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.

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 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.

................................................................................

As you enter the room and take your shoes off at the door, you gaze around.  Warmth emanates from the space and fills you.  Your soul becomes heavy as it settles down into your body as if to say, "Yes.  I want to be here.  I am home."  The light is dim and comes only from a medium sized fire glowing in the fireplace across the room.  You wonder if the room is warm because of the fire, but your skin tells you otherwise.  The warmth comes from a different place.  Taking in the architecture of the place, you notice the traditional Japanese style woodworking surrounding you.  The wood is stained a deep, rich mahogany sheen.  The glow of the fire bounces and plays shadowy games on the simplicity of the walls.  In this moment, you are no where else but here.  The warmth has traveled through you and settled your mind.  This allows you to recognize a woman seated near the fire and to your right.  She has been watching you enter the room.  With a soft smile gently touching the corners of her mouth, her gaze meets yours.  You think you see her smile broaden infinitely and welcome you into the room, but you are certain that she has not moved.  You think maybe the shadows are playing tricks with her delicate and wise features.  The woman is weathered.  Her skin is glowing radiant even in the dim light.  The soft wrinkles around her eyes and mouth speak of years and years.  She is seated comfortably on a small cushion without fidgeting, without shifting.  Her soft, off white clothing hangs on her well cared for body as if they were one.  Just as you begin to become slightly unsure of what to do next, the woman speaks.  "Welcome."  And, somehow you know, you understand, that you have not only entered a beautiful, special place; you have entered into a sacred contract between this woman whom you do not know, yourself, and this space.  She speaks again.  "You may stay as long as you wish."  Again, the message is clear.  This space has been held open for you and for countless before you so that you may fulfill your destiny.  There are covenants that you must adhere to in order to remain in the good graces of this woman, of this place.  But, you know that it is worth it.  Waiting for you beyond these walls is profound and immeasurable change, is a world full of color and light and wisdom.    




"Now at last I'm home to you, 
I feel like making up for lost time."