I’d rather take my time and eat a watermelon
I was walking on the gardens of an insane asylum when I met a young man reading a philosophy book.
I’d rather do spontaneous activities
For his manners and the health he portrayed, he didn’t quite match with the patients there. I sat beside him and asked: “What are you doing here?” He looked at me surprised. But as he saw that I wasn’t one of the doctors, he answered: “That’s very simple. My father, a brilliant lawyer, wanted me to be like him.
I’d rather be with my cat, Lucy
“My uncle, an owner of a large commercial warehouse, wanted me to follow his example. My mother wanted me to become the image of her beloved father. My sister always cited her husband as the example of a well-succeeded man. My brother tried to train me to become an excellent athlete like him.”
I’d rather be an adventurer rather than look for a sign
“And the same happened with my teachers at school, the piano teacher, the English tutor: all of them were convinced and resolute; they were the best examples to be followed. No one looked at me like someone should look to a man — but as if they looked into a mirror.”
Would you rather be you?
“That way, I decided to admit myself in this asylum. Here at least, I can be myself.”
With this tale, I’d Rather Be… ME.
So true P. Enjoy the sunshine today 🙂
Hi T. The sun is still shining. Thank you, P
An interesting Gibran story I’d not seen before Perpetua – loved it and loved all of your photos which worked so well with the verse.
Thank you, Tina. I had the tale for a long time and finally accumulated photos to go with it. He is such a brilliant person. Perpetua
What a sad tale about how far he had to go to be himself.
Hi Elizabeth, it can be sad but it’s a relief to find your place on earth. I don’t feel sadness for the writer more sad for the people who insisted how people would ‘rather’ be. A great lesson for bringing up children in the world. Blessings. Perpetua
Being self is the most difficult task as the first part is to realize self.
To what extent do we let our children to be left to be what they want to be ???
Hmmm- I just want them to be a good
citizen, productive and capable people
♥️ Poteet .
On Children – Kahlil Gibran
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.
But if they’re not will you love them anyway 🤷🏻♀️of course!
She loves her children. That much I know.
A sad tale. But we have to be strong that our own individual self lies within us – and admit that, and let it show.
Sorry to read that it’s sad for you. The writer and the character are strong individuals. They know what to write, read and To Be. There’s no We.
Beautiful story. Amazing photographs! Thank you for this, Perpetua. My children are are on my mind this morning. I so needed these wisdom words.
I love this! So true 🙂
I use this as a metaphor when I was institutionalized.