Monday 1 December 2014

The Penultimate Q&L Challenge

I have been inspired and educated by the year long challenge over at the Craft Barn, it has been a pleasure to join in and learn so much. Thank you to everyone at the Craft Barn who have run the challenge, i am looking forward to whatever you have planned for 2015!

The words for this penultimate challenge are Heart or Risk.

I found a poem called The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer and it has gone into my heart and my soul, i wish i had found this earlier for many reasons. Now i have found it i shall be keeping a copy very close to me.

I hope the words resonate with you too.

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 dream
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 centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened
by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled 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
to 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 at 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 the 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 centre 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.

Will you read that again and again…

 

Q&L Chall 24 front

Once again used Craft Artist Professional to create my iCard, the front shows the person who would become a fool to find their love, dream or adventure and the couple represent for if you dare to dream
of meeting your heart’s longing.

The images of the clown and the couple were found through searching for free vector images on Google and imported into CAP2.

Q&L Chall 24 back 

The back of the iCard showing the author of the poem and the number of the Challenge.

Another challenge where i have found something beautiful and meaningful.

Thanks for dropping by, hope you have time to leave a comment.

xxx

24 comments:

  1. Oh my dear, this is SO touching. I could relate to much of this, too. I can see why it appealed to you so much. There are many lovely passages, and to have chosen the images you used to illustrate this lovely piece, must have taken a long time. This is super impressive.

    You asked if I sit or stand to stamp. I stand to do EVERYTHING, except sew. I've never been able to sit to make art. Guess it's because I'm always moving around finding what I need, then putting it back after I use it. As usual, I appreciate your guidance, though.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I can see why you liked it. It resonates with people with a bit of history! Past a certain age, that's pretty much all of us... Plus how quick are you this week for the challenge!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow,I am saving a copy of this myself too Mo,thank you so much for sharing,words are so very beautiful at times

    Extra big hugs
    Donna xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Powerful words! Thanks for sharing this wonderful poem! xxx

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love this poem Mo, Oriah mountain dreamer is such an amazing inspiration, thank you for sharing it here. Your e-card is beautiful too!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love it! This challenge has introduced so many beautiful quotes to me and the poem is definitely up there at the top. I have enjoyed viewing your digi work over the past months and this is a wonderful entry.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your art is stunning and the passage you came across and filled with powerful words. You really have a talent for digital work!

    Received your email and we can talk more about it in January.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow MoH what an amazing poem, and you have illustrated it beautifully xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Emotional and powerful poetry, Mo, and I love the portion you used in your art today! Exquisite work!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love love love that Poem truly a beautiful prose which to me, asks when all else is stripped away are you able to experience your being. Thank you so much for sharing.

    I also love your iCard which compliments the poem wonderfully.

    ReplyDelete
  11. You always give so much to these challenges. The poem was such a moving one: what a find! I love the way you make such discoveries with your art and your quest for knowledge and images, which are also part of that art. Thank you, Mo for sharing so much and not only learning yourself, but educating us too! xx

    ReplyDelete
  12. Fantatsic verse. Very moving. Great i-card. Hugz

    ReplyDelete
  13. That is a beautiful poem, perfectly illustrated.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Very beautiful image and poem. Lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  15. A beautiful poem that is very heart felt and a lovely icard.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Beautiful poem. Love it. Also fab i card :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wow Whee!! That is a very beautiful poem, illustrated so perfectly by you. Bravo MoH!! :o))

    ReplyDelete
  18. A fabulous poem and a great piece of art. Just wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Gorgeous Poem and I love your apt artwork to reflect your chosen stance. Brilliant x

    ReplyDelete
  20. Great choice of words - beautiful entry ,as always!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I will read it again and again... and again. So glad that I took the time to scroll backwards this morning - it must have somehow been calling me. Thank you for sharing these words - as you say, they have entered me, and I want to sing them from the rooftops.

    A lovely icard, an inspiring post. Thank you.
    Alison xx

    ReplyDelete
  22. Sorry I am so late for this one! That's a lovely poem, and a great card! xx

    ReplyDelete
  23. A beautiful poem you have chose for this challenge and you have depicted it so well on your iCard.

    ReplyDelete
  24. WOW - powerful stuff. Amazing words - definitely worth keeping and re-reading.

    ReplyDelete