'You may strive to be like them...'

"You may give your children 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 backwards nor tarries with yesterday."

From The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.

Image © 2006 R deCinabre