You Interest Me
I was talking to Lindsey (my sister) who was looking up poems online a bit ago. She gave me the site; this stuff is golden! I absolutely love this one... and you can count on more poems in my entries. This is from 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 rist 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 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, without moving to hid 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, or to remember the limitations of human beings.
It doesn't interest me if the story you're 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.
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 every day,
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 of the edge of a lake and shout to a the silver 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 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 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.
Is that not the most lovely piece of writing? I like everything about it! Anyway, Reader, I hope it inspires you like it inspired me.
As for the song stuck in my head... it's Roll Away the Stone, a song done at my church. There are two sisters who sing it, and it's one of my favorites. It's beautiful with music, and the words are simple. I can't find all the lyrics, but the refrain is simply "Roll away the stone, see the glory of God!" repeated a few times... it's got a descant that makes me cry to hear it. I guess I'll post the whole thing someday.