... and quiet...
...and there are no towels on the floor...
...or dog hair floating through the air...
...the level of the milk gallon is not going down alarmingly...
...the Christmas cookies are all gone...
...the tree is down...
...and did I mention, it's calm...
and quiet?
And Mr. Jenny and I are left alone in our lives while our children and Grandchildren go back to theirs.
We are left alone with our memories and melting snow and an odd sock found now and again.
Gibran wisely writes:
“Your children are not your children.
They are 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 thir 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 make 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 also loves the bow that is stable.”
They are 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 thir 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 make 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 also loves the bow that is stable.”
Gibran?
Yeah. He was a rock, man.
A total rock. I wonder if Mrs. Gibran felt this same way.
Or if she just pretended that...
...she was a stable bow?
or that she didn't want to chase after the arrows crying and saying, 'Come back! Come back!"
We are left here alone in the silence...
and all I can really dare to hope is that somehow...
...someway..
...through some miracle...
...someone forgot one Christmas cookie in the freezer.
That might give me a little comfort right now.
Or not.
Sigh.
...
Jenny, I really understand how you feel. Gibran says it well but my heart says different sometimes! I am blessed to live near my daughter and grandchild right now, but life can change at any time as you well know. I hope there is one little cookie left...just for you!
ReplyDeletehugs,
Linda
Yep, it is quiet here too! The kids are back at school and the grown-ups are back at work! We enjoy the busy times during the Holidays and will enjoy them again:) Sending HUGS and PRAYERS your way!
ReplyDeleteHow melancholy. If there aren't any cookies, I would go out and buy a big slice of pie and coffee someplace nice.
ReplyDeleteI dislike an empty house...no laughter...no complaining...which normal works my nerve, until it is gone. I feel for ya, my friend. My baby is close. Sending hugs!
ReplyDeleteHope you found a cookie, or two!
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping for a cookie. Sometimes the quiet can be a little overwhelming...
ReplyDeleteOh, Jenny, I hope you can find a treat or two, and maybe some music to color the blank spaces of your quiet house. All the best.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love that quote and believe it. We are only caretakers and guides for a brief time. They are a gift and it is an honor. If we did our job well they will voluntarily be a part of our lives after they have flown the nest...large or small part...up to them.
ReplyDeleteThey shall return. Enjoy the calm and quiet. Well earned. :)
This quote is great and so true ! I know some parents who still think that their children can't live without them which often causes misunderstandings and fights. I think I should translate this quote into French and give it to some mothers I know, lol !
ReplyDeleteGibran was so wise! I believe his words to be true...even though it hurts a little to accept. Such a blow to our egos!
ReplyDeleteYeah, that pretty words of Gibran!
ReplyDeleteOh Jenny...why don't you bake some Christmas cookies if you can't find one in the freezer? Who says they can only be eaten at Christmas anyway? Maybe take a bite and think about the nice visit you had with them? My prayers are with you.
ReplyDeleteKnowing that our children belong to the world and our job is to prepare them for it, is one of those "easier said than done" tasks. Probably harder for you, because of the distance between family members.
ReplyDeleteI'm ready to move out to the wilderness somewhere, but my wife is not so keen on the idea, because all of our kids and grand kids live very close and we get to see them a lot. Needless to say, we are aren't moving anywhere, anytime soon.
Here's to a Happy New Year for us all Jenny!
I'm dreading this. I don't want my children to belong to the world....I'm selfish and I can admit it. :0
ReplyDeleteWishing you both the best. I think you should make another batch of Christmas cookies and pretend you found them in the freezer.
XOXO