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Monday, October 7, 2013

Faces

Inspiration Avenue challenges you this week with a theme of "faces". Look here to read about the challenge and join in.
 
above photograhs by Edwin S. Curtis

 Ralph on his 100th Birthday
 
 Source: Gold Panner (Summit County, CO, Historical Society
 
 (A Study -Limbo ID:374 from 2006 Lilly Oncology On Canvas 2006 competition)

It doesn’t interest me to know 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 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 sorrows,
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 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 your self,
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 on 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 for 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 empty moments.

(The Invitation) by Oriah

10 comments:

  1. Faces tell the story of who we are and who we have been ... your choice of faces is like reading the book of life ... as is your choice of "The Invitation" by Oriah ... very beautifully done ...

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  2. You are my kind of face woman Nancy, the ones that have been lived in, what a gorgeous collection...and the The Invitation poem is wonderful too. A very inspirational post. Thank you.

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  3. That's a great poem. My face has always been known to be expressive.

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  4. Oh i love the faces you selected Nancy!! they are so filled with character and with a life truly lived!

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  5. Lined faces tell such stories. Your choice of faces really captures the theme well.........would love to know who these guys were!

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  6. Beautiful faces all
    and I love the poem

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  7. Wonderful faces Nancy! There is an undefinable and not so obvious beauty about aged faces that I am sure is to do with evidence of life lived and loved. Different entirely from the beauty of a young face but very precious. Love "The Invitation" too - thank you so much for sharing. E x

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  8. picture and poem make a great impact

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  9. Faces... made me smile:) Love that poem! Have a blessed day dear Nancy, HUGS!

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  10. What a great post, Nancy! Deep stuff. I like it.

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