Saturday, April 21, 2012

Quote it Saturday - Children

Hosted by Freda's Voice

I am going back to work on Monday and can't wait to see the beautiful kids in my class after their holiday, so this week I thought I'd quote about children. The passage by Kahil Gibrahn is one of my favourites. If you haven't read his work in 'The Prophet', try and get yourself a copy, it is simply beautiful.

A child can ask a thousand questions that the wisest man cannot answer. 
Jacob Abbott 1803 - 1879



We find delight in the beauty and happiness of children that makes the heart too big for the body. 
                     Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803 - 1882



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 soul,
for their soul belongs 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.
Kahlil Gibran 1884 - 1931



8 comments:

  1. Gibran's poem is beautiful and filled with wisdom.

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    1. It is filled with wisdom, isn't it...his work is amazing! Thanks for visiting :)

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  2. The first one made me think of when my oldest was young and he'd ask me "why" questions one after the other until I thought I was going to pull me hair out. lol Did you know you can ask that question to just about every statement? I truly loved his inquisitive nature and he did grow to be very smart. He won an honors engineering scholarship. Great post.

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    1. Thanks Margaret. I love the questions that kids ask so much. Asking lots of questions must certainly be good for growing brains if our son won an honours engineering scholarship!! Thanks for visiting :)

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  3. All lovely quotes! I have been given a recommendation to read The Prophet from another reader as well. That is a sure sign I need to get on it.

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  4. Oh and thank you for the condolences. (((hugs)))

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  5. Love the Kahlil Gibran poem, thanks for sharing!

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  6. Lovely writing, especially about the children. Nice to meet you! New follower.

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Please leave a comment, I'd love to hear from you! :)