Friday, April 13, 2007

Real Moms - Special Friday Post

Jodifur and Flexible Parenting tagged me with this one a while ago:

Here are the rules, put up a post "Real Moms [insert what you do here]", followed by an explanation, a picture and a "Real Moms. Making ....". Then tag five people.


Real Moms aren't afraid to let their kids grow up.



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 do not belong 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 set forth...

from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran


Real Moms. Making adults.

Originally I wasn't going to tag anyone and but now I challenge one man to start a new one. Gunfighter - what is a Real Dad?

***

And lucky me! I have gotten to interview a slew of people. Thanks for the chance to improve my hard-hitting journalism skills! Please visit to see what queries I inflicted on them.

The smart and compassionate Jodifur replied to my questions today. She's one of those folks I wished lived near me. I want her in my bookgroup (and not just because she'll bring awesome wine).

And a new reader, Jamie, also posted her responses today. Check her out. She is in an esteemed and honorable club - the mom of three kids club.

8 comments:

jodifur said...

Ok, I'm crying from the poem. Seriously. And I'm not a crier.

I'd love to be in your book club! Can we start an online one? My husband will be in Boston in a few weeks, it's a bummer I'm not going with.

soccer mom in denial said...

Darling Jodi,

We were given that quote, in a frame, for the boys' dedication (the Unitarian version of Christening) when they were 4 months old. Every time I read "which you cannot visit, even in your dreams" it takes my breath away.

Hug.

Gunfighter said...

Khalil Gibran... excerpts from "The Prophet" were read at our wedding.
He's the Bomb, that guy.

I'll post my real dad's... on sunday, SMID!

soccer mom in denial said...

Yeah! It will be fun to watch Real Dads spread.

Anonymous said...

Me too! Crying that is, after reading the poem. How absolutely perfect is that sentiment.
What a great way to start my Sunday. Thank you REAL MOM.

FENICLE said...

I went to check out Gunfighter & absolutely loved his Real Dad's post! What a great idea you had in tagging him & mixing it up.

The poem was beautiful!

Ambassador said...

I first read that in High School, but during my first summer in Boston, I was so fortunate to hear Sweet Honey in the Rock perform downtown - and the sang the most amazing arrangement of this poem. Here's the link to check it out. It made me cry again this morning...and I'm not a parent!
http://www.ritualwell.org/lifecycles/sitefolder.2006-03-23.3610986751/OnChildren.xml

Ron Davison said...

Wow. What an excerpt. Thank you!