Khalil Gibran - On Children
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 lo...ve 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 our 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.Read More
That's absolutely fantastic!
ReplyDeleteYou may strive to be like them,
ReplyDeletebut seek not to make them like you. Gibran
My take on this
Here I am striving to make them unlike me
only to be met with a resounding destiny
of revisits of similar replicas.
To be mutually like each other is destiny's dispensation, leaving no choice for either.
Sorry, Madhuri, in my cynical mood, even the profound like Gibran evoke only a negative response. At this age striving to be like the gen-next, is not so easy, as it seems.
Love to all
Vichu
Madhuri,
ReplyDeleteProphets have always been lost in translation over generations. May their souls rest in peace.
All my athans are at once, immensely lovable, respect-worthy and utterly human. So are all the elders in my family.
Striving to be like them is my destiny.
Thanks for a glimpse of the original.
Naresh
Chittappa - are these your own words ? Very poetic indeed.
ReplyDeleteNaresh - indeed I see what you mean. You striving to be like your elders is an immense compliment to them but doesnt take away from the fact that its best to not attmept to mould our kids into replicas of oursleves. If they choose to be so -its indeed their destiny.
Dear All,
ReplyDeleteIndeed children have their own journeys to cover and parents are only providing the most suitable vehicle. I would believe that the child's soul knows its agenda and chooses his parentage.
There is a Thirukural which is conventionally undestood as saying that the gift the child gives its parents is for the community to say how virtuous the parents have been for them to get a child of this kind. Solomon Papaiyya a living authority on Thirukural says that it means something different i.e. the community should wonder that it was possible that such a child should be born to such parents. For some reason known to the child's soul, the vehicle given by "such" parents is the best for it to live through its experiences.
The right vehicle for Pune from Mumbai airport has a great bearing on the comfortable journey and hence commands its own importance. The debt that the child owes to the parent is therefore unquestioned even if the child's soul is completely on its independent journey. Its response to the vehicle provider at full length cannot be understated in the context of "duty" to parents. However we need to recognize that the parents and the children have the "opportunity" and not "duty" to love each other the way it is generally understood. This aspect of parent children relationship needs to be brought up while discussing what we are about children.
ALN
@Madhuri: Quite thought-provoking lines from Khalil Gibran. "You may strive to be like them" and "seek not to make them like you" needs some more pondering as I am personally not clear what it means.
ReplyDelete@Vichu chitappa: I guess we all have "emotional baggage" in different ways which is what obscures perception. Negative thoughts or reactions are probably also related to this.
@Gulpa chitappa: Love for each other has to be the backbone in the parent-child relationship.
As a child, we tend to just observe how our parents behave, handle situations and learn to be more independent. As we grow up, we are taking their support in our major decisions and then we are quickly moving into a parental mode ourselves. This transition takes us now from one generation gap to another.
Truly remarkable pieces of responses, from a wide cross section of Jignyaasaa stakeholders.(in sync with present day style of expression?)
ReplyDeleteWhich prompts me to write a piece on the subject of progeny!!!!!!!!!! "title - Horticulture and progeny" Cutely maverick?
I do hope all of us will condescend to read it........and comment ........
Love
Vichu
Gulpachittappa ! It is so wonderful to hear from you- as always; and to read your lucidly expressed views - also as always :-)
ReplyDeleteWill call soon,
Love and Hugs,
Madhuri
My comment could not get posted I reckon. I am a little confused on how to get the post it. It initially rejects saying only a member can post etc .
ReplyDeleteWe are getting better & more participative by the day. The genext should now lead the way.
I would be delighted if say the Kanchu, Swatu , madhuri gang could go into many things that they feel , our male dominated focus misses on the site. Let woman power take over at least nominally.
ReplyDeleteI m obviusoly daft - but who is Kshetragnya ? :-)
ReplyDeleteFind out ; Kshetra ; the ground, the field , the soil, : Kshetragnaya ; the dweller of/in/on/around etc of Kshetra
ReplyDeleteHa-Ha- You know me but can't find me .!!! I am Kahsetragnya- the Soul.
Hi Madhuri
ReplyDeleteI thought you and AC shared a mutual "know each other well" kinda equation. How is it that you are unable to discern who is Kshetragnya, from his inimitable style?
The world is full of surprises I guess.
Love
Vichu