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<P><FONT COLOR="#003498" FACE="Tahoma">The Invitation </FONT>
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<P><B><FONT SIZE=4 FACE="Arial">Oriah Mountain Dreamer<BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#D04848" SIZE=4 FACE="Arial">Canadian Teacher and Author</FONT></B>
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<BR> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">It doesn't interest me what you do for a living<BR>
I want to know what you ache for<BR>
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.<BR>
<BR>
It doesn't interest me how old you are<BR>
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool<BR>
for love<BR>
for your dreams<BR>
for the adventure of being alive.<BR>
<BR>
It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon...<BR>
I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow<BR>
if you have been opened by life's betrayals<BR>
or have become shrivelled and closed<BR>
from fear of further pain.<BR>
<BR>
I want to know if you can sit with pain<BR>
mine or your own<BR>
without moving to hide it<BR>
or fade it<BR>
or fix it.<BR>
<BR>
I want to know if you can be with joy<BR>
mine or your own<BR>
if you can dance with wildness<BR>
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your<BR>
fingers and toes<BR>
without cautioning us to<BR>
be careful<BR>
be realistic<BR>
to remember the limitations of being human.<BR>
<BR>
It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me<BR>
is true.<BR>
I want to know if you can<BR>
disappoint another<BR>
to be true to yourself.</FONT><FONT FACE="Arial"> </FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">If you can bear the accusation of betrayal<BR>
and not betray your own soul.<BR>
If you can be faithless<BR>
and therefore trustworthy.</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I want to know if you can see Beauty<BR>
even when it is not pretty<BR>
every day.<BR>
And if you can source your own life<BR>
from its presence.<BR>
<BR>
I want to know if you can live with failure<BR>
yours and mine<BR>
and still stand on the edge of the lake<BR>
and shout to the silver of the full moon,<BR>
"<I>Yes</I>."<BR>
<BR>
It doesn't interest me<BR>
to know where you live or how much money you have.<BR>
I want to know if you can get up<BR>
after a night of grief and despair<BR>
weary and bruised to the bone<BR>
and do what needs to be done<BR>
to feed the children.<BR>
<BR>
It doesn't interest me who you know<BR>
or how you came to be here.<BR>
I want to know if you will stand<BR>
in the center of the fire<BR>
with me<BR>
and not shrink back.<BR>
<BR>
It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom<BR>
you have studied.<BR>
I want to know what sustains you<BR>
from the inside<BR>
when all else falls away.</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I want to know if you can be alone<BR>
with yourself<BR>
and if you truly like the company you keep<BR>
in the empty moments.<BR>
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<P><FONT COLOR="#D04848" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> 1995 by Oriah House, From "Dreams Of Desire"</FONT>
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<P><B><FONT COLOR="#FF0000" SIZE=5 FACE="Franklin Gothic Book">Tai Chi Institute USA</FONT></B>
<BR><B><I><FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE=4 FACE="Franklin Gothic Book">~The Movement of Life~</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE=1 FACE="Franklin Gothic Book">TM</FONT></I></B><I></I>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Franklin Gothic Book">Sifu Edward Niam</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Franklin Gothic Book">Master-TCM, SKF</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Franklin Gothic Book">8440 Washington Street</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Franklin Gothic Book">Suite</FONT> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Franklin Gothic Book">106</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Franklin Gothic Book">Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44023</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Franklin Gothic Book">330.564.7558</FONT><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Franklin Gothic Book"> F</FONT><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Franklin Gothic Book">ax-</FONT><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Franklin Gothic Book">440.543.8727</FONT>
<BR><A HREF="http://www.taichicleveland.com"><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Franklin Gothic Book">www.taichicleveland.com</FONT></U></A><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Franklin Gothic Book"> </FONT>
<BR><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Franklin Gothic Book">edwardniam@gmail.com</FONT></U>
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<BR><I><FONT SIZE=1 FACE="Arial">"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,</FONT></I>
<BR><I><FONT SIZE=1 FACE="Arial"> but by the moments that take our breath away."</FONT></I>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial"> </FONT>
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