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 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. |
Saturday, December 27, 2008
New Year's Reflection
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1 comment:
Father Chuck,
Just read your beautiful reflection for today and the New Year! It leaves much room to ponder our lives with all the details good and bad and to give them to God.
Your words actually hit home for me, as this past week I went to be with a sister who hasn't been in contact for 16 years, upon the death of my stepfather and her father. My heart had been betray and was left abandoned without my mother and family in my life.
After much soul searching, decided to go and be with her and my blind mother, who has not wanted me around for the same amount of years. There is nothing like the abandonment of one's mother and her love.
My sister said, during our visit, that out of tragedy comes "JOY" my sister is back in my life.
It matters not why this happened and is fruitless to live in the past. I choose to live in the present and enjoy our reconnection.
My prayers will be with you and your recent medical issues.
God bless you abundantly with love, peace, and good health.
Linda Panozzo
St. Mary's Parish
West Chicago, IL
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