They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come 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,
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.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are set forth.
I know that this excerpt is not directly relevant to any of your posts, but I think that it is beautiful so I wanted to share it anyway. If you haven't already read The Prophet, I recommend adding it to your summer reading lists. It has been on my shelf since my aunt gave it to me for my high school graduation in '05, and I finally decided to open it up before work today. The simplicity with which Gibran articulates his incredible wisdom allows easy access to his deep analysis of humankind.
7 comments:
yep, that is a great book!
It is very beautiful literature. But, I would say that I am my mother's child. I wouldn't use the word "belong to" because children are not possesions but there is a unique cosmic connection between a mother and her child that is unobtainable with any other person Every child shares food, body, and the sound of the heartbeat with their mother for the first 9 months of life before that child is even aware of their own existence. That is a miracle of connectedness that once born we can never experience again. Maybe a new word should be invented. Or maybe there already is some crazy medical term out there applied to the embyronic physical need of their mother that can also be applied to that cosmic pre-existence neediness on the mother that I believe is real. I also think that I not only came through her but also from her. My genes are inexplicably tied to hers. I am downplaying the role of my father here but creation is a miracle that happens when two individuals, of any species, meet at a specific time and place in the universe. My specific life granted by somekind of higher power whether it be God or science happened because the miracle of life was given to my mother and father. To any mother and father. Whether it be a human or a walrus. My life in this exact form will and can not happen again. Sorry Sarah this is super long! Let me not downplay the beauty of this literature because look how much it forced me write! I have alot more to say about this too......Anyways, your thoughts?
I think the importance of this literature is in the extent that parents have to recognize that children are their own selfs and they should be respected and never underestimated. I like it, thanks Sarah!
I think the importance of this literature is in the extent that parents have to recognize that children are their own selfs and they should be respected and never underestimated. I like it, thanks Sarah!
Mary, I see what your saying, and I definitely do not want to deny a child's connection to his/her mother (though it is not always positive). I don't feel that Gibran is condoning ungratefulness in children. I think he is speaking to adults and reminding them (us?) that they should not seek to mold young minds but rather to learn from them. He's speaking to the progression of time and the temptation of an older generation to claim its dominance and superiority over the idealistic and free thinking new generation. However, he is not saying that young people should not recognize the hard work and achievements of their predecessors. Children must recognize that their parents too were once bows set forth into the future and that one day they will set forth their own bows. After all, we are all just "marks on the infinite."
In my view, both seemingly opposing positions are correct. They are included and transcended in the realization of life as sacred and greater than either parent or child.
By the way, the whole book can also be found online. Just run a search.
love your comment!
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