From the Chaplain's Desk

Last weekend, I had the great fortune to deliver a parenting seminar at the Islamic Society of Frederick (MD). This is a topic of the utmost importance and one that usually leaves me recalling the words of the late poet Kahlil Gibran.In his famous poem “On Children,” Kahlil Gibran starts with a jarring line: your children are not your children.

There are many other hard-hitting lines for parents to come to terms with in that poem – I recommend reading it and contemplating how it relates to our lives as parents (or children).

My thoughts on the subject are below.

God has portioned out a certain lot for each one of us in this life.

Superficially and as far as we can see with the worldly eye, some have it better than us and we have it better than some others. The reality of God’s wisdom in His portioning is a different story.

If we just go by face value, though, I think there is a point we should note.

A large part of my vocation is to sit down with people and listen to their experiences.

Listening isn’t enough, though.

A lot of people want what they want.Most also want happiness.

The problem with that is, generally, the two cannot coexist. We can be happy or we can have what we want. Only if we conform our wants with reality can we have both.