It’s back to school time. Lots of parents I know are experiencing the angst that comes with their child’s first day of school. Whether its kindergarten, high school or the start of college, regardless of how old they are, these “firsts” generate lots of emotion for us as parents. These changes bring with them excitement, pride, sadness and of course a good dose of worry.
For me, this year’s back to school season brings with it a “first” of a different nature. Our daughter, Emily, just landed her first “official” career job. Oh, she’s had part time jobs and summer internships but this is her first job post law school and she’s headed to Washington DC in a week to start.
Emily, our third and youngest child, is officially on her way and headed out into the world to make her way. And with Emily’s departure, the last of the Werner’s will be “launched.”
It’s bittersweet for us. My husband and I know that our job as parents has not
come to a close but rather enters a brand new chapter. But it seems like yesterday.......
As I was sharing my emotions at the closing of this chapter, a colleague reminded me of Kahlil Gibran’s wisdom On Children included in The Prophet.
Maybe you need a reminder as well.
On Children
Kahlil Gibran
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.
So get your bow ready. It’s comes up fast and bending it is harder than you think.
To your success,
Mary
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.