The Invitation
by Oriah Mountain Dreamer， Indian Elder (May 1994)
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 hearts 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 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 own 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 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, be realistic,
or 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.
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 its presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours or mine,
and still stand on the edge of a 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 are, or 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
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译：
《邀请》
我对你的职业不感兴趣。
我想知道你的渴望，
你是否能勇敢依循内心的憧憬，大胆的作梦。
我对你的年龄不感兴趣。
我想知道你是否愿意冒险，
为爱，为梦想，为体验生命，
即使看起来像个傻子。
我对什么影响你的情绪起伏不感兴趣。
我想知道你是否曾触及内心忧伤的核心。
你是否已从生命中的背叛恢复，愿意敞开心灵；
或因此而蜷缩封闭，深怕再受伤害。
我想知道你是否可以正视痛苦，与它共处，
我的或你自己的，
而不需任何的躲藏、淡化、伪装或修饰。
我想知道你是否能与喜悦共处，我的或你自己的。
你是否能与狂野共舞，让狂喜浸淫你全身，
穿透每个指尖，
不再心存戒慎恐惧，不再要求实际务实，
忘记身为人类的限制。
我对你所告诉我的事是否真实不感兴趣。
我想知道你是否能为忠于自己而让他人失望；
是否能背负他人对你背叛的指控，
但求不背叛自己的灵魂；
你是否能抛却信仰，而仍值得信任。
我想知道每天，你是否能在不美之处看见美丽，
你是否能成为自己生命的源头。
我想知道你是否能与失败共存，你的和我的，
而且仍然愿意站在湖边，
向天上银色的圆月高喊：
“是的，我绝不放弃。”
我对你住在哪里，有多少钱并不感兴趣。
我想知道在经过了整夜的哀伤沮丧、
身心疲惫到了极点，
你是否仍能起身，为了孩子，
尽你该尽的养家活口的责任。
我对你认识谁，或你如何来到这里不感兴趣。
我想知道，你是否会与我一起，
站在火的中央而不退缩。
我对你在哪里，学什么，和谁学不感兴趣。
我想知道，当这一切都烟消雾散，
是什么在内心支撑着你。
我想知道，你是否能与自己独处，
你是否真的喜欢在你空虚时陪伴的同伴。
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书中的这首诗，很有力度，诗人是加拿大女作家, 常以印第安长老为笔名, 发表诗作, 自称是个居住在Oriah山里的梦想家。以诗为勉，无论世界怎么混账，你也早过了感物伤怀的年纪，不要迷失自我。相信灵魂吗？小美人鱼用最动听的歌声和整个水底世界作赌注只为换取一个灵魂，而浮士德却把灵魂卖掉。灵魂这个词很好玩，它不是相信与不相信的问题，是拥有与未曾拥有的问题。当被剥掉金钱、职位、学历、技能及所有周围人强加给你的廉价世俗成功价值观，一定还要能剩下一些东西，是这些东西让我们成为自己而不是别人。抛掉幻想，即使灵魂被现实涂成黑色，也不能绝望，要黑得如夜般宁静深邃，不畏惧黎明前的冷与暗，向往著晨曦。