On Children

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.

- Khalil Gibran