The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

[Xenophon]

Has anybody heard othe prophet by Kahlil Gibran? I read one of the poems from it about a year ago, and I immediately went out and bought myself a pocket copy. I carry it everywhere with me. Every single poem in it has been a source of inspiration for me at one point in time. Here is the first that I ever read, called "On Children":

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 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 tommorow, 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 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 the bow that is stable.

Any thoughts?

You can find the entire prophet online at http://www.columbia.edu/~gm84/gibtable.html

[euterpenc]

It makes sense. Maybe not give them your thoughts, but lead them to discover their own? I was looking for a metaphor for a similar idea last night. If someone is arrogant, and you know it's unfruitful and causes discordance, just by telling him this, he will not change. But you've come to realize this and have walked the paths necessary to know it. When you just tell him what you've learned, it's like youre skipping the journey to get right to the treasure. And he takes your "treasure" for granted, just because it was given to him and he had not worked for it. Also, he has missed the other things to be gained on the way to this "treasure."

I don't know if that's relevant or not but that poem sounds good.

[tragula]

Hmmm. I'm almost tempted to say "that's beautiful" but I can't quite turn the corner on it... "jk"

But seriously, it is oh so true. Parents thinking they own their kids, having specific expectations of them, and trying to shape them like themselves is the cause of much pain and suffering in this world.

Here is a parenting nugget I picked up from somewhere--Teach good judgment, not obediance.

BTW I have heard of this guy, I think he's the real thing!

[SheepDog]

This one's been floating around my mind for the time since I found out we're having our first child soon. I agree with it very much.

Honoring the sovereignty of your children may well be the greatest gift which you can give them. Of course, that also applies to all others...

[mgb]

He is pretty amazing.

He did a series of poems on sand and water (or something). They are fantastic.

[gypseymothlee]

That's currently in my bookcase of things to read. Now I may move it up a shelf or two on the list of things to actually get around to reading...

[Birdsnest]

I have several of his books. If you are looking for a good sentimental gift for a friend, these make excellent gifts when autographed.