"Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry,
the philosophy which does not laugh,
and the greatness which does not bow before children."
Khalil Gibran
Poet Khalil Gibran, a literary hero to Lebanon, became very influential in my young adult life. I discovered his work, THE PROPHET in the library one day. I would sit and copy by hand all of his words. In meditation, he became my mentor, alerting me to the beauty in the darkness and the whispers in the wind.
When I eventually read about his personal life, I was totally dismayed! His life was riddled with disappointment, major challenges and torment. I remember questioning how he survived and maintained sanity ... if indeed he did. I also realized that through his personal crisis and chaos, he fine tuned his skills as a creative genius.
Khalil Gibran was also a celebrated painter with themes of personal vision, and incorporating spiritual and mythological symbolism. The works of Khalil Gibran continue to flow through me. Embracing his words, they stir my soul. More than not, I have felt his presence at odd moments when challenged by personal skill and creative limitations.
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