the bird sings | On Children

Your children are not your children
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself
They come through you but they are not from you
And though they are with you, they belong not to you
You may give them your love but not your thoughts
They have their own thoughts
They have their own thoughts
You may house their bodies but not their souls
For their souls dwell in the place of tomorrow
Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams
You can strive to be like them
But you cannot make them just like you
Strive to be like them
But you cannot make them just like you
— Read on thebirdsings.com/OLD/songs/on-children.html