It Doesn't Interest Me (Might interest the author)

[Guest guest]

Actually, the poem is the property of Oriah, and it's called, " The

Invitation " .

 

 

 

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

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.â€

 

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.

© Mountaindreaming, from the book The Invitation published by

_HarperSanFrancisco, 1999_

(http://www.harpercollins.com/global_scripts/product_catalog/order_xml.asp?isbn=\

0694524808) All rights reserved

Phil

 

In a message dated 4/4/2006 2:05:38 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

Nisargadatta writes:

 

Mon, 3 Apr 2006 19:29:07 -0700

Pete S <pedsie5

It Doesn't Interest Me

 

From NDS:

 

" It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.

I want to know what you wait 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 center of your own sorrow,

if you have been opened by life's betrayals, or have become

shriveled and closed for 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 ecstacy 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 if it is not pretty, everyday,

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 a 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 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 out

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. "

 

~ Patrick Conner prose-poeticizing,

copied from a CD sent us from our Dear, Lovely Friend, Carolyn

 

 

As I Am,

 

Mazie