Invitation

If you are a dreamer, come in,
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer . . .
If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire
For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in!
~Shel Silverstein

I love this poem so much, but not, I think, for its face value.  I think what it is that attracts me so much to these few lines is the simple warmth exuded from each word.  "So what?" it seems to say.  "I don't care who you are, what you've done, where you've been.  Do we share this passion and desire for story?  Then let us be brothers."

It seems to be akin to what Jesus says to all of us.

"So what?" I wish I could say, with the same abandon and recklessness.  "I don't care who you are, what you've done or are doing, where you've been or you're heading.  We share the common bond of humanity; I know your weakness, for it is in me, also.  Do we share the burning desire to be freed from our weaknesses?  Then let us be brothers . . . and let me share with you the hope and freedom I have been given . . ."

Unfortunately, my own weakness, so often, trips me up and builds walls of distrust and dislike.

I wish this warm, invitational, dangerous love was as simple as the poem makes it sound.