Author’s Note: This poem was inspired by The Invitation by Oriah.

~

It doesn’t interest me what yoga pose you can do,
I want to know if you can stay in the tension of strength and vulnerability.

It doesn’t interest me what books you have read,
I want to know if you can live what you’ve learned.

It doesn’t interest me what workshops you’ve attended,
I want to know if you know there’s nothing wrong with you and that you’re enough.

It doesn’t interest me how long you can meditate,
I want to know if you can feel the depth of your feelings 
and cry and scream and rage at the pain of this world and your own.

It doesn’t interest me how many followers you have or how much money you make,
I want to know if you can be kind to yourself and everyone you meet.

It doesn’t interest me if you know how to make green smoothies,
I want to know if you love your body and if you can look at yourself in the mirror and love what you see.

It doesn’t interest me how many likes you get on a Facebook post,
I want to know if you’re transparent and if the person you are in real life is the person you portray online.

It doesn’t interest me how many friends you have,
I want to know if you can be a friend to yourself and if you can show up for the ones you love.

It doesn’t interest me if you say you can love,
I want to know if you can forgive and have compassion for those that have hurt you,
I want to know if you can forgive yourself,
I want to know if you can tell the truth,
I want to know if you can own your shadow and live in the magnificence of your light.

I want to know that you know your divinity
and can embrace being human.

~

Author: Catherine Hummel

Image: martinak15/Flickr

Editor: Katarina Tavčar