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Farewell Letter
by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
For reasons of health, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Colombia’s
illustrious Nobel Laureate for literature, has declared his retirement
from public life. He has terminal cancer and sends this letter
of farewell to friends and lovers of literature.
If God, for a second, forgot what I have become and granted me
a little bit more of life, I would use it to the best of my ability.
I wouldn’t, possibly, say everything that is in my mind,
but I would be more thoughtful l of all I say.
I would give merit to things not for what they are worth, but
for what they mean to express.
I would sleep little, I would dream more, because I know that
for every minute that we close our eyes, we waste 60 seconds of
light.
I would walk while others stop; I would awake while others sleep.
If God would give me a little bit more of life, I would dress
in a simple manner, I would place myself in front of the sun,
leaving not only my body, but my soul naked at its mercy.
To all men, I would say how mistaken they are when they think
that they stop falling in love when they grow old, without knowing
that they grow old when they stop falling in love.
I would give wings to children, but I would leave it to them
to learn how to fly by themselves.
To old people I would say that death doesn’t arrive when
they grow old, but with forgetfulness.
I have learned so much with you all, I have learned that everybody
wants to live on top of the mountain, without knowing that true
happiness is obtained in the journey taken & the form used
to reach the top of the hill.
I have learned that when a newborn baby holds, with its little
hand, his father’s finger, it has trapped him for the rest
of his life.
I have learned that a man has the right and obligation to look
down at another man, only when that man needs help to get up from
the ground.
Say always what you feel, not what you think. If I knew that
today is the last time that that I am going to see you asleep,
I would hug you with all my strength and I would pray to the Lord
to let me be the guardian angel of your soul.
If I knew that these are the last moments to see you, I would
say “I love you.”
There is always tomorrow, and life gives us another opportunity
to do things right, but in case I am wrong, and today is all that
is left to me, I would love to tell you how much I love you &
that I will never forget you.
Tomorrow is never guaranteed to anyone, young or old. Today could
be the last time to see your loved ones, which is why you mustn’t
wait; do it today, in case tomorrow never arrives. I am sure you
will be sorry you wasted the opportunity today to give a smile,
a hug, a kiss, and that you were too busy to grant them their
last wish.
Keep your loved ones near you; tell them in their ears and to
their faces how much you need them and love them. Love them and
treat them well; take your time to tell them “I am sorry,”
“forgive me, “please,” “thank you,”
and all those loving words you know.
Nobody will know you for your secret thought. Ask the Lord for
wisdom and strength to express them.
Show your friends and loved ones how important they are to you.
Send this letter to those you love. If you don’t do it
today…tomorrow will be like yesterday, and if you never
do it, it doesn’t matter either, the moment to do it is
now.
For you, with much love,
Your Friend,
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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