Instants

This morning Leah shared a poem with me by Jorge Luis Borges that was just what I needed. We have both studied and teach Spanish and I said to her, "It seems very un-Borges, to me... but then again, I'm no expert on Borges."

I did a bit of an Internet search to find a translation of the poem to post here for your reading enjoyment and it does seem as if the authorship of the original Spanish is doubted (actually, it's called a hoax, but you know...)

Anyway, despite the fact that we don't know who wrote it, the words went straight to my soul this morning and so, I thought I'd share them with you here:

Instants

If I could live my life over again,
In the next I would try to make more mistakes,
I wouldn't try to be so perfect,
I'd be more relaxed,
I'd be more full than I am now,
In fact, I'd take fewer things seriously,
I'd be less hygenic,
I'd take more risks,
I'd take more trips,
I'd watch more sunsets,
I'd climb more mountains,
I'd swim more rivers,
I'd go to more places I've never been,
I'd eat more ice creams and less Lima beans
I'd have more real problems - and less imaginary ones,
I was one of those people who lived prudently and prolificly
each minute of his life
Of course I had moments of joy
but if I could go back
I'll try to have only good moments
If you don't know - that's what life is made of
Don't lose the now!
I was one of those who never goes anywhere without a thermometer
without a hot-water bottle
and without an umberella and without a parachute,
If I could live again - I will travel light
If I could live again
I'll try to work bare feet at the beginning of spring till the end of autumn
I'll ride more carts
I'll watch more sunrises and play with more children
If I had the life to live
but now I am 85
and I know that I am dying ...

- Jorge Luis Borges (??)
(Translator unknown)

Instantes

Si pudiera vivir nuevamente mi vida.
En la próxima trataría de cometer más errores.
No intentaría ser tan perfecto, me relajaría más.
Sería más tonto de lo que he sido, de hecho
tomaría muy pocas cosas con seriedad.
Sería menos higiénico.
Correría más riesgos, haría más viajes, contemplaría
más atardeceres, subiría más montañas, nadaría más ríos.
Iría a más lugares adonde nunca he ido, comería
más helados y menos habas, tendría más problemas
reales y menos imaginarios.
Yo fui una de esas personas que vivió sensata y prolíficamente
cada minuto de su vida; claro que tuve momentos de alegría.
Pero si pudiera volver atrás trataría de tener
solamente buenos momentos.
Por si no lo saben, de eso está hecha la vida, sólo de momentos;
no te pierdas el ahora.
Yo era uno de esos que nunca iban a ninguna parte sin termómetro,
una bolsa de agua caliente, un paraguas y un paracaídas;
Si pudiera volver a vivir, viajaría más liviano.
Si pudiera volver a vivir comenzaría a andar descalzo a principios
de la primavera y seguiría así hasta concluir el otoño.
Daría más vueltas en calesita, contemplaría más amaneceres
y jugaría con más niños, si tuviera otra vez la vida por delante.
Pero ya tengo 85 años y sé que me estoy muriendo.
- Jorge Luis Borges (??)