I’m a word lover.
In phrases, song, poetry, story, clips, snippets, stand alone, invented, old English, foreign tongues – I fall hard for words. I fall for the story they tell, the truth they impart and that moment in time they’ve helped stand out from the rest. Lately, I’ve been coming across so many beautiful words which seem to be speaking directly to me.
They move me and root me. They launch me and ignite me. They make me smile.
I hope they do the same for you.
First, “sing your death song and die like a hero going home.”
Then, believe in your own power; don’t “slaughter [y]our finest impulses.”
From a joyful tribe of believers, a call for silence.
And finally, this…more joyful wisdom for this journey we’re all on.
The Invitation by Canadian writer and teacher Oriah 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 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 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 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. 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 a night of grief and despair weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed 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 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.
I’m a quote whore. Do you have any favorite words that move you? I’d love for you to share them in the comments below. I’m needing a fix =)
Love this, Carla! I too am a quote whore and have been collecting quotes since I was about 12. Currently, I scribble them down on whatever paper is near and put them in my Quote Drawer – yes, a whole drawer in my desk dedicated just for quotes, haha! So, I opened it up and will share the first two I grabbed – love them both…
“We show up,
burn brightly in the moment,
live passionately,
and hold nothing back.
And when the moment is over,
and our work is done,
we step back,
and let go.”
Rolf Gates
“If we can stay awake when our lives are changing, secrets will be revealed to us – secrets about ourselves, about the nature of life, and about the eternal source of happiness and peace that is always possible, always renewable, already within us.”
Elizabeth Lesser
Thank you for sharing these! I’m always amazed at what incredible words are out there that I’ve never come across.
My top fav is this one ~
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~ Marianne Williamson
Great post Carla!
One of my all-time favorites as well! Such an important message. Thank you!
Love this post Carla. I as well am inspired by words. Quotes. Books. Blogs.
This was by Karen Maezen Miller.
Your heart is always whole, just as the moon is always full. Your life is always complete. You just don’t see it that way.
Just let everything and anything be so, as it is.
Oh that moon bit took my breath away!
Wow Carla, those words took my breath away. So amazing.
One of my new favorite quotes is by Joseph Campbell
“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”
Now more than ever after the loss of my father, these words ring more true as each day passes.
So very true.
One of my favorite quotes: Con Dios todo se puede
One of my favorite quotes I try to live by:
“When I’m old I’m never going to say, “I didn’t do this or I regret that”. I’m going to say, “I don’t regret a damn thing. I came, I went, and I did it all.”" -Kim Basinger
One of my favorite quotes:
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind, don’t matter, and those who matter, don’t mind”. –Dr Seuss
I think wisdom doesn’t get more simple than that.
One of my favs is Jeremiah 17:7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.”
One in Spanish: “¿Por qué caminar si puedes volar?”.
(Why Walk When You Can Fly)
I love to read quotes.. Just for fun… Son como un alimento para el espíritu.
That’s exactly how I feel!
Thank you for reminding me about the healing power of words and for introducing me to Oriah.
My favorite quote:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16