26. Sweet Honey in the Rock, On Children

You never know how fiercely you can love until you have a child. We are told to practice acceptance and surrender, but it’s easy to ignore this wisdom—until we are parents. This song reminds parents to release children, and themselves, from expectations, from the twin conventions of Getting Into A Good College and The World Has Become A Dangerous Place, which have sunk their fangs into American childhood and sucked out all the freedom. It doesn’t have to be this way. Your children are not your children. They are the sons and the daughters of life’s longing for itself.

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Sweet Honey in the Rock, "On Children," 1988. Composed by Ysaye M. Barnwell with text from Khalil Gibran's The Prophet, 1923.

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This post is part of Music 100, a love letter to songs. 100 words on 100 songs in 100 days, running from Groundhog Day through May 31, 2025. Inspired by my MFAH 100 project.

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Have a song you’d like me to consider? Send a message or leave a comment. I will give it a serious listen.

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