Pulling Back the Bow and Releasing the Arrow


 woman shooting arrow"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." ~Kahlil Gibran 

This excerpt from Kahlil Gibran's On Children, echoes in my mind today.  My daughters are now adults and this month has been one of great happiness, pride, and inevitable change.  Our eldest daughter became engaged to a wonderful man last week and our youngest daughter is embarking on her first teaching position as a second grade teacher in Ohio next week.

I am mindful of the moments of joy and also of the moments of longing for the past, holding tightly to the arrows and resisting their release: the age old parental dilemma. To know when to let go and when to hold on is difficult; it challenges us to relinquish control and embrace vulnerability. And so, it is with a heart filled with pride and gratitude for my daughters, Kim and Jen, that I pull back the bow and release the arrows, watching them soar with strength, beauty and joy into the future.