The Prophet

Twelve years ago, a classmate of mine talked about Kahlil Gibran and his famous "The Prophet". I bought a copy 5 years after trying to read, and reread it. The poetry is amazing (or was it the interpreter?). Even our class yearbook was full of quotes from that book. I even saw a quote in some donation cans somewhere.

Here are some of my few favorite lines:

"It was but yesterday we met in a dream...
And if our hands should meet again in another dream, we shall build another tower in the sky"

"Much of your pain is self-chosen"

"Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distate, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy"

"Your daily life is your temple and your religion" I considered this as a very practical approach to religion, and a must for every believer (of whatever faith). "Who can separate his faith from his actions, or his belief from his occupations?" But then, since He himself practices some new age (Bahai) religion, then the philosophies on his books are based on his religion. He did not and cannot separate his faith and belief from his writings.

But at the end of my readings, I could not help but notice this particular line: "A little while, a moment of rest upon the wind, and another woman shall bear me." It contradicted my religious convictions.

But I am not going to argue. Philosophers are entitled to their opinion, and those opinions, even though general in nature (and some obscure), are well accepted, because they are just poetically expressed.

So, let me try my own lines:
“You cannot see me through my scribbling, for my soul is not in there.”
“For now, you know me not. But I shall reveal myself to you one day, and we shall indulge in the same cup of happiness.”

Hey wait! Do I sound like a philosopher here?