On Children :: OSHO + Kahlil Gibran

You ask me: Have You never wanted to have a child Yourself ?

No, for the simple reason that I don't want to burden this earth.

It is already burdened too much.

I used to live in Raipur for one year. One day I just saw the neighbour beating his small child, so I rushed into his house and told him 'What are you doing? I will call the police!'

He said 'What are you talking about? This is my kid! And I can do anything that I want to my kid! And who are you?'

I said 'This is not your kid. This is God's kid. And I can claim as much as you can claim.'

He could not believe what nonsense I was talking.

He said 'This is my kid. Don't you know?—you have been living here for one year.
He could not understand because of the claim—the claim that 'This is my kid, and I can do anything that I want to do.

For centuries parents were allowed to kill their child if they wanted to. They were allowed, because the thought was accepted that 'You have given birth.' How can you give birth? You have been just instrumental. Don't claim.

No child belongs to you. All children belong to God, they come from God. You are at most a caretaker. 
-OSHO

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.