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From Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet. Timeless wisdom on parenting:

"Your children are not your children.
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 sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable."

Mitch07102 8 Sep 15
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5 comments

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1

Only book I ever stole from the library. Now 55 years over due.

No time like the present to gift them back a few copies. Call it interest, and they can use the help. As a kid from a low-income family, I treasured the local library.

1

As every home used to possess a Bible, every home should possess The Prophet.

1

Brilliant text. The Prophet could quite satisfactorily replace every religious, political or philosophy book in the world.

Just that one excerpt says enough for most situations faced in life.

1

As one who's father still tried to control me when I was in my twenties I can relate to this.

1

I've been familiar with this quote for years. It one I like and appreciate.

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