NAMCHEE BAZAAR "The Invitation by Orion Mountain Dreamer"

On November 10th 2006 I had the honor of seeing a beautiful presentation at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. It was about John Blais, the ALS Warrior Poet. I am like everyone else, intrigued and inspired by his story. I thought about him a lot on Sunday at Eagleman.

This beautiful poem is on his website, and it encompasses so much. Read it, and think about it.

Think about this; do the animosities you hold in your life... really matter? Your judgements on other people or on yourself.... who are you to judge anything? Who am I to judge anything?

Within my life, my family, my business, my athletics... personally I am striving for personal excellence. At times others see this and attack... but I have learned that when we don't like something about someone else, it is because we see something of ourselves that we truly don't like.

Thank you Blazeman for enriching my life. Thank you for helping me to see clearly what is really important.

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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 hearts 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 or 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 sorrow.

If you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled and close 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 fit it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with the wildness and let the "Meatheadedness" fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, or to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you're telling 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 trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not there everyday, and if you can source your life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still shout stand on the edges of a lake, river or mountain and shout to the silver of the full moon. Yes! I'm a Meathead...

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 for someone you love.

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 truly like the company you keep in the empty moments of your life and still remember me...

Your friend, Blazeman - King of all "Meatheads" 2004.