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.
— Kahlil Gibran
More Motivational, Inspiring Quotes
“When all the dust is settled and all the crowds are gone, the things that matter are faith, family, and friends.” “They are not your friend unless they have defended you in your absence.” “You have to dream before your dreams can come true.” “Show your anger when needed. People need to know what irritates you and what doesn’t. But, crucially, remain internally calm. Your anger is only a tool. Don’t become its puppet.” “To me, beauty is natural beauty. If you’re naturally yourself, you’re beautiful.” “Sometimes we can feel like we are not good enough, but it is important to remember that we have nothing to prove others. Love and respect yourself each and every day.” “Anything that costs your peace is too expensive” The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life. “Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.” “Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions.” “The walls we build around us to keep sadness out also keeps out the joy.” “A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” More from Bright Star