I don’t care what you do for a living.
I want to know what, in fact, you seek and if you are able to dare to dream of finding your heart’s aspirations.
I don’t care how old you are.
I want to know if you will be able to turn yourself into a fool so you can love, live your dreams, venture to be alive.
I don’t care which planet is in your moon’s quadrant.
I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sadness. What if you’ve been exposed by life’s betrayals, or if you’ve been squirming and shutting down in fear of your own pain.
I want to know if you are capable of keeping the joy, mine and yours.
If you are able to dance madly and let ecstasy envelop you to the tips of your toes and hands, and unintentionally advise us to be more careful, more realistic, or remind ourselves of the limitations of being human.
I don’t care if the story you’re telling me is true. I want to know if you are able to disappoint the other to be true to yourself. If you are able to listen to the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul.
I want to know if you can be trusted and true. I want to know if you can see beauty even when the day is not beautiful.
And if you can connect your life through the presence of God.
I want to know if you are able to live with failures, yours and mine, and still stand on the shore of a lake and shout to the moon’s reflection: “YES”
I don’t care where you live or how much money you make.
I want to know if you can wake up after the night of grief and despair, exhausted and bruised to the core, and do what needs to be done.
I don’t care what you are, or how you got here.
I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not run away.
I don’t care where, what, or with whom you studied.
I want to know what sustains you inside when everything else comes crashing down.
I want to know if you are capable of being okay with yourself.
And if you really are good company to yourself in empty moments.
Oriah – Mountain Dreamer – Indian Elder