Aeltri

Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Last Words
Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote these last words just before he died in Mexico City in April of 2014.

(Translated from the original in Spanish by Andrés Berger-Kiss)

If for an instant God would forget I’m a rag puppet and would give me a bit more life, I would take advantage of that time as much as I could.

Possibly I would not tell everything I think, but I would definitely think about everything I say.

I would value things, not for what they’re worth, but for what they signify.

I would sleep a little, I would dream more. I understand that for every minute we spend with our eyes closed, we lose sixty seconds of light.

I would walk when others stop, awaken when others sleep.

If God would give me a bit more life, I would dress simply, would throw myself downward on my stomach under the sun, leaving uncovered not only my body but my soul.

I would tell men how wrong they are thinking they can’t fall in love when they are old, not knowing that they grow old when they stop loving.

To a child I would give wings, but would leave him or her alone to learn to fly.

To the old ones I would teach them that death doesn’t arrive when one is old, but when one forgets how to live.

So many things I have learned from you, humanity……I have learned that the whole world wants to live at the top of the mountain, not knowing that true happiness is found upon climbing the rugged hill.

I have learned that when the newborn squeezes with its small fist the first time, the father’s trapped finger will be forever his.

I have learned that a man has the right to look down upon another only when he wants to help him get up.

So many are the things I have learned from you, but they will not serve me much, because when they will keep me in that bag, unhappily, I will be dying.

Try to always say what you feel and always do what you think in the profoundest part of your hear.

If I knew that today is the last time I will see you asleep, I would give you a strong embrace and pray to God to let me be the guardian of your soul.

If I knew that these are the last moments I can see you, I would say to you “I love you” and not foolishly assume you already know that.

There is always a tomorrow and life always gives us another opportunity to do things well, but if I’m mistaken and today is all that remains for us, I’d like to tell you how much I love you, and that I never will forget you.

Tomorrow is not assured for anyone, young or old. Today may be the last time you’ll see those you love. That’s why you should not wait any longer, do it today, so that if tomorrow never arrives, surely you’ll lament the day when you didn’t take the time for a smile, an embrace, a kiss because you were too busy to bestow one last wish.

Keep those you love close to you, whisper in their ears how much you need them, love them, and treat them well, take time to say to them, “I’m sorry”, “forgive me”, “please”, “thank you” and all the loving words you know.

No one will remember you for your secret thoughts. Ask the Lord for the strength and knowledge to express them.

Finally, show your friends and loved ones how much you care for them.