I discovered the following on one of my usual trails. It is attributed to Khalil Gibran:
“It was in the garden of a madhouse that I
met a youth
with a face pale and lovely and full of
wonder.
And I sat beside him upon the bench,
and I said, 'Why are you here?'
And he looked at me in astonishment, and he
said,
'It is an unseemly question, yet I will
answer you.
My father would make of me a reproduction of
himself;
so also would my uncle. My mother would have
me the
image of her illustrious father. My sister
would hold up
her seafaring husband as the perfect example
for me to follow.
My brother thinks I should be like him, a
fine athlete.
'And my teachers also, the doctor of
philosophy,
and the music master, and the logician, they
too were
determined, and each would have me but a
reflection
of his own face in a mirror.
'Therefore I came to this place. I find it
more sane here.
At least I can be myself.'
Then of a sudden he turned to me and he said,
'But tell me, were you also driven to this
place
by education and good counsel?'
And I answered, 'No, I am a visitor.'
And he said, 'Oh, you are one of those who
live
in the madhouse on the other side of the
wall.”
