My Favourite Empowering Parenting Poem

This beautiful poem has got me through so many situations as a parent. On occasion when things feel tough this is my go to poem. It reminds me my children are on their own path and I am a supporting guide.  I encourage every parent to keep a copy for reference.   

Reading it again today after an inspiring walk with my middle two children I thought I'd share it here.

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.