What sustains you?

Nannyp · What sustains you?

This very thoughtful poem/prose was posted on another forum yesterday. I think is an amazing piece of writing.

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 or fade 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's 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 on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the 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 to know 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.

Nannyp

This was my response (I can post it here, the forum is private, but this is mine )

What an incredible piece of writing.

I like it and yes, I think I can do most of those things, but not stand in the fire :shock:

Being alone with me is a very comfortable place now. It may not have been a few years back.

I can't say in words what sustains me. I know I am no longer searching for the ultimate this or the ultimate that, and I know I am no longer attempting to seek approval (especially from parents). I am very happy where I am, with who I am with and with what I have...so I guess I feel sustained nowadays.

I think love sustains me, if I were to chose a description.

dingsy

I'm probably being pedantic-but, the reliance on "it doesn't interest me", actually weakens what the author is striving to say, by turning it into a formulaic peice of writing.

angelfruit

A lovely piece (peace) (tic).

Six months ago I doubt I would've been able to respond as positively as I would've liked. However, D and I are getting on like honeymooners (for a couple of months now) (hence my diminishing presence online). Thankfully I could probably echo Nanny's comments.

xxx

Nannyp

Grandparenthood is good for you both