little bit of inspiration

[tacs1895]

Recently came accross this poem and found it moving, so thought I'd share it...

 

 

 

You Learn (Y Uno Aprende) - Jorge Luis Borges

 

After a while you learn the subtle difference

Between holding a hand and chaining a soul,

 

And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning

And company doesn't mean security.

 

And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts

And presents aren't promises,

 

And you begin to accept your defeats

With your head up and your eyes open

With the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child,

 

And you learn to build all your roads on today

Because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans

And futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.

 

After a while you learn...

That even sunshine burns if you get too much.

 

So you plant your garden and decorate your own soul,

Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.

 

And you learn that you really can endure...

 

That you really are strong

 

And you really do have worth...

 

And you learn and learn...

 

With every good-bye you learn.

[6yeardumped]

A beautiful poem...at least this part you posted...The second half is also good, but it relates way too much to my personal situation, so I read it only once, and couldnt read it again or post it here...

 

In the original Spanish (1st half):

 

Después de un tiempo uno aprende la sutil diferencia entre sostener una mano y encadenar el alma.

 

Y uno aprende que el amor no significa acostarse y una compañía no significa seguridad y uno empieza a aprender...

 

Que los besos no son contratos y los regalos no son promesas, y uno empieza a aceptar sus derrotas con la cabeza alta y los ojos abiertos.

 

Y uno aprende a construir todos sus caminos en el hoy, porque el terreno de mañana es demasiado inseguro para planes... y los futuros tienen una forma de caerse en la mitad.

 

Y después de un tiempo uno aprende que si es demasiado, hasta el calor del sol quema.

 

Así que uno planta su propio jardín y decora su propia alma, en lugar de esperar a que alguien le traiga flores.

 

Y uno aprende que realmente puede aguantar, que uno realmente es fuerte, que uno realmente vale, y uno aprende y aprende... y con cada día uno aprende.

[tacs1895]

Wish I could read Spanish.... Thanks for posting the original.

 

Just did a quick a search but couldn't find the second half that you mentioned, would be interested to see it if you were able to add it here.

[6yeardumped]

Aprendiendo // Learning (by Jorge Luis Borges)

 

“Después de un tiempo, uno aprende la sutil diferencia entre sostener una mano y encadenar un alma.

Y uno aprende que AMOR no significa acostarse.

Y que una compañía no significa seguridad, y uno empieza a aprender…

Que los besos no son contratos y los regalos no son promesas, y uno empieza a aceptar sus derrotas con la cabeza alta y los ojos abiertos, y uno aprende a construir todos sus caminos en el hoy, porque el terreno del mañana es demasiado inseguro para planes… y los futuros tienen su forma de caerse por la mitad.

Y después de un tiempo uno aprende que, si es demasiado, hasta el calor del Sol puede quemar.

Así que uno planta su propio jardín y decora su propia alma, en lugar de esperar a que alguien le traiga flores.

Y uno aprende que realmente puede aguantar, que uno es realmente fuerte, que uno realmente vale, y uno aprende y aprende… y así cada día.

Con el tiempo aprendes que estar con alguien, porque te ofrece un buen futuro, significa que tarde o temprano querrás volver a tu pasado.

Con el tiempo comprendes que sólo quien es capaz de amarte con tus defectos sin pretender cambiarte, puede brindarte toda la felicidad.

Con el tiempo te das cuenta de que si estás con una persona sólo por acompañar tu soledad, irremediablemente acabarás no deseando volver a verla.

Con el tiempo aprendes que los verdaderos amigos son contados y que quien no lucha por ellos tarde o temprano se verá rodeado sólo de falsas amistades.

Con el tiempo aprendes que las palabras dichas en momentos de ira siguen hiriendo durante toda la vida.

Con el tiempo aprendes que disculpar cualquiera lo hace, pero perdonar es atributo sólo de almas grandes.

Con el tiempo comprendes que si has herido a un amigo duramente, es muy probable que la amistad jamás sea igual.

Con el tiempo te das cuenta que aun siendo feliz con tus amigos, lloras por aquellos que dejaste ir.

Con el tiempo te das cuenta de que cada experiencia vivida con cada persona es irrepetible.

Con el tiempo te das cuenta de que el que humilla o desprecia a un ser humano, tarde o temprano sufrirá multiplicadas las mismas humillaciones o desprecios.

Con el tiempo aprendes a construir todos tus caminos en el hoy, porque el sendero del mañana no existe.

Con el tiempo comprendes que apresurar las cosas y forzarlas a que pasen, ocasiona que al final no sean como esperabas.

Con el tiempo te das cuenta de que en realidad lo mejor no era el futuro, sino el momento que estabas viviendo justo en ese instante.

Con el tiempo verás que aunque seas feliz con los que están a tu lado, añorarás a los que se marcharon.

Con el tiempo aprenderás a perdonar o pedir perdón, decir que amas, decir que extrañas, decir que necesitas, decir que quieres ser amigo, pues ante una tumba ya no tiene sentido.

 

Pero desafortunadamente, sólo con el tiempo…”

 

//

 

“After a while you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul.

And you learn that LOVE does not mean lying.

And a company does not mean security, and one begins to learn …

That kisses are not contracts and presents are not promises and you begin to accept your defeats with your head up and eyes open, and you learn to build all your roads on today because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans … and futures have a way of falling in half.

And after a while you learn that, too, until the sun’s heat can burn.

So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.

And you learn that you really can endure, that one is really strong, that one really worth, and you learn and learn… and so every day.

Over time you learn that being with someone, because it offers a good future means that sooner or later want to return to your past.

Over time you realize that only someone able to love with your flaws without trying to change you, can give you all the happiness.

Over time you realize that if you’re with a person only to accompany your loneliness, inevitably end up not wanting to see his/her.

Over time you learn that true friends are counted and who does not fight for them sooner or later will be surrounded only by false friends.

Over time you learn that the words spoken in moments of anger are hurting for life.

Over time you learn to forgive anyone does, but forgiveness is an attribute only of great souls.

Over time you realize that if you have a friend badly injured, it is likely that the friendship will never be the same.

Over time you realize that even being happy with friends, weep for those who let him go.

Over time you realize that every experience lived with each person is unique.

Over time you realize that that who humiliates or despise a human being, sooner or later suffer the same humiliations multiplied or contempt.

Over time you learn to build all your roads on today because tomorrow’s path does not exist.

Over time you understand that speed and force things to happen, the end results are not as expected.

Over time you realize that maybe the best was not really the future, but when you were living right at that moment.

Over time you will see that even if you are happy with those next to you, you will miss those who left.

Over time you will learn to forgive or apologize, say you love, say you strange, say that you need, say you want to be friends, because at a grave no longer makes sense.

 

But unfortunately, only over time… “

[Elisian]

Thanks for posting this, my mom showed it to me a while back and I remember it being much longer, like three pages, but it was really good. I meant to look up the Spanish version for comparison, so it’s nice to see someone post a piece of it. There are subtle differences, for example, I would translate this:

 

 

Y después de un tiempo uno aprende que si es demasiado, hasta el calor del sol quema.

 

As this:

 

And one learns in time that in excess, even the warmth of the sun burns

 

Instead of this:

 

After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much.

 

 

It’s nice to be able to see the difference. Thanks again.

[thejigsup]

It's a lovely poem. I first read it many, many, years ago. It's been around forever and it's truth never fades. I live my life by this poem and it works!!!

[Meriem]

Loving it evry word is true, it's beautiful!