Dr. P's favorite quote of the week
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They came through you but not from you.
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They came through you but not from you.
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit,
not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you,
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you,
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
- Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931)
Dr. P comments
I remember reading this as a kid and thinking how wonderful it was. (OK, so maybe I liked to quote it to my parents to convince them to get off my back a little!)
As an adult, I appreciate this poem even more. It remains as beautiful, wise, and true a description of the parents' role as I've read.
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