Thursday, March 8, 2012

Kahlil Gibran: Marriage & Relationship



                                                       
On the attachment to one's near and dear ones, Gibran has some eloquent words of advice in his 'The Prophet'. 

On being asked about marriage, he says:

   
                             

'You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore. You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days. Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God. But let there be spaces in your togetherness, and let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another but make not a bond of loveLet it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping. For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts. And stand together, yet not too near together, for the pillars of the temple stand apart, and the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

Regarding Children Kahlil Gibran says :

                                                      
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.


Friends, how simply and beautifully expressed, but so difficult to cultivate such a detached attitude!

Mrs. Sangeeta Hegde




1 comment:

  1. yes, it is so easily said in such simple language but indeed very difficult. But few people follow that and their kids are so happy and cultured, i mean to say they are in their limits.

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