On the Subject of Soul ...

I saw this young man when I was in Boston.
I am shooting while walking, trying
to photograph him without disturbing his space.
This is one of my favorite images.
.
I look at his face and I wonder what his story is...
if eyes truly are the window to the soul I have
never seen soul more wounded nor more beautiful.

It does not 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 does not 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 does not 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, 

realistic, or to remember the limitations of being human.

It does not 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 be 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 God's presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, 

and still stand on the edge of a lake and shout to the silver of the moon, "YES"!

It does not 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, 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.

Oriah Mountain Dreamer -Native American Elder 

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.