what do you think of this?

[bellymama]

have you guys ever read this? i think it is so beautiful. i read it when i was 3 months pregnant and it captures exactly what i want to emulate as a parent.



"And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children." and he said:
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 ,they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have thoughts of their own.
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 archers hand be for gladness,
for even as He loves that arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

[boysmom2]

I cried. That is so beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

[sebandg'smama]

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/5484/Gibran.htmThat's from "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran

Wise wise words. Thanks for posting it, it's been a long time since I have read it, I needed the reminder.

Melanie

[rmzbm]

The 1st time I ever read that was in a large frame at my Dad's house. He passed away last month. Needless to say, I'm welling up...

[jazzharmony]

Sweet Honey in the Rock does a beautiful rendition.

[bellymama]

Originally Posted by jazzharmony

Sweet Honey in the Rock does a beautiful rendition.

oh how cool! i didn't know that!
yeah, i read this when i was three months preg. and it made me cry for a long time. it is such a awesome way to view life, and parenting in general. i try and read it every once and a while to remind myself that my son doesn't "belong" to me...he's just a gift that i get to be near in my life.

[Softheart]

I love it too--makes me kind of sad though--that "you cannot visit even in your dreams..." Sigh.

[calidarling]

I first read The Prophet when I was in junior high....my parents used it for their wedding vows so we had the book around the house and at that age I was reading everything that I could.

Back then, I just thought that I was a cool deep person for reading it but as I grow older the more I see how wise and wonderful his words are and how they have shaped me in my life.

Thanks for bringing this section back into my life.