"Self-sufficiency does not mean 'going back' to the acceptance of a lower standard of living. On the contrary, it is the striving for a higher standard of living, for food that is organically grown and good, for the good life in pleasant surroundings... and for the satisfaction that comes from doing difficult and intricate jobs well and successfully." John Seymour ~ Self Sufficiency 2003

Thursday 6 March 2014

Thought for Thursday 6

"And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children." And he said: 
      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."


from "The Prophet" - the chapter on "Children" by Kahlil Gibran.  Kahlil Gibran was born in 1883 into a Maronite Catholic family in northern Mount Lebabnon.  He emigrated to America with his mother and siblings in 1895 - the same year that he started school at the age of 12.  He died in New York City in 1931.


Personal note: I can highly recommend reading "The Prophet" - a moving, thought provoking and inspiring collection of poems.  The book is available to read online - just click on the book title above for the link.

11 comments:

  1. thinking of you today as we go off-grid with load-shedding

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. (I replied to you at 15.08p.m. via my smart phone, but the reply got posted as another comment so I'm re-posting it now I'm online)

      Diana - LOL Apparently it is not just the WC, but Gauteng, PE and Durban too...

      We've received 3.7kWH in, 2.3 kWH out so far and batteries are sitting on 13.6volt.

      Delete
  2. Diana - LOL Apparently it is not just the WC, but Gauteng, PE and Durban too...

    We've received 3.7kWH in, 2.3 kWH out so far and batteries are sitting on 13.6volt.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Such a flashback! "The Prophet" was one of the books everyone seemed to be reading when I started high school. Also, "Jonathon Livingston Seagull" and "Walden." Everyone always had a battered-looking paperback book in hand, pocket, or backpack, in those ancient days...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Quinn - LOL I couldn't help myself - his chapter on children leapt unbidden into my mind as I watched Miranda and Michael.

      Hope you enjoyed the flashback? I have a feeling that youngsters today could use an hour or two reading the Prophet - and hopefully absorbing some wise words... (in fact I bought a copy for both of my kids a few years ago.)

      Delete
    2. I would love to think youngsters are reading and pondering such gentle philosophies :)

      Delete
    3. Hmm - I wonder - or are they too wrapped up in their electronic gadgets / soocial media? It would be interesting to find out how many youngsters (aged 14 - 20) actually read books these days...

      Delete
  4. Replies
    1. Shirley - They are very wise words, aren't they :)

      Delete
  5. My mother had a book of his work when I was a kid but I never read any of it. I liked the one you posted.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Harry - Click on the link to the book - it's well worth a read. And you can copy and paste it to a word doc to read offline, slowly, if you want :)

      Delete

Thank you for taking the time to comment - it makes my day and removes the "loneliness' of sitting at my screen blogging supposedly to myself ;) I try and reply as quickly as possible so please forgive me if sometimes my response is delayed.