You were born together, and
together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when
the white wings of death scatter your days.
Ay, you shall be together
even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in
your togetherness,
And let the winds of the
heavens dance between you.
Love one another, but make
not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving
sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but
drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your
bread but eat not from the same loaf
Sing and dance together and
be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a
lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not
into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life
can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not
too near together:
For the pillars of the
temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the
cypress grow not in each other's shadow.
From “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran 1883-1931