Your children are not your children.
Kahlil Gibran
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not of 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.
Raising Adults.
The honor of raising children is more than a trip it’s an adventure that challenges every bit of your Being. The topography and trails are unknown, the weather is uncertain, and there’s a surprise around very corner.
In this surreal world, you can instantly travel from the highest peak to the darkest forest, and back. You can simultaneously experience excitement, confusion, doubt and joy.
The one constant on this journey us something you can feel but you can’t touch. Sometimes it’s loud and rowdy, but most of the time it’s quiet, patient and peaceful. Its strength and tenderness coexist in perfect harmony, and giving it away never depletes its power, but expands it countless times over.
Of course I’m referring to – LOVE – and if you are a fellow member of the parenting club, you know how deep and freely it flows.
And it is because of love, that my husband and I consciously choose to raise adults. Little people who are capable, curious, brave, resilient, and kind. Future adults with a growth mindset who lead with integrity, and value failure as an opportunity to learn. Self-actualized Beings who know themselves, accept themselves, and yes – love themselves, because we know that is their best chance of achieving happiness.
This term comes straight from the book, How to Raise an Adult, by Julie Lythcott-Haims, and if you’re part of the parenting posse but haven’t picked up a copy, click on over to Amazon and grab yourself one.
