"Every parent is at some time the father of the unreturned prodigal, with nothing to do but keep his house open to hope"

This quote by John Ciardi talks to the universal experience of parenting. Every moms and dad has experienced the feeling of having a kid who has gone astray, and the helplessness that comes with it. The moms and dad is left with nothing to do however wait and hope that their kid will eventually come back. The metaphor of the unreturned lost lamb is used to highlight this feeling of helplessness and the hope that the moms and dad holds onto. The quote talks to the power of hope and the strength of a moms and dad's love, even when their child has actually gone astray. It is a pointer that no matter how far a kid may be, a moms and dad's love and hope will never ever waver.