Saturday, April 15, 2006

A Farewell Letter



I think it’s been quite a few years since this letter was published. it’s one of the most inspiring letters I ever read written by one of the greatest brilliant Latin Americans authors and a Nobel Prize Laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez. he wrote this farewell letter after his cancer gotten worse I really do recommend reading it, because this short text is truly moving I my self shade a few tears after reading it:


If for a moment God were to forget that I
am a rag doll and granted me a piece of life, I probably wouldn't say everything
that I think; rather, I would think about everything that I say. I would value
things, not for their worth but for what they mean. I would sleep less, dream
more, understanding that for each minute we close our eyes, we lose sixty seconds
of light. I would walk when others hold back, I would wake when others sleep,
I would listen when others talk. And how I would enjoy a good chocolate
ice cream! If God were to give me a piece of life, I would dress simply,
throw myself face first into the sun, baring not only my body but also my
soul. My God, if I had a heart, I would write my hate on ice, and wait for the sun
to show. Over the stars I would paint with a Van Gogh dream a Benedetti poem, and
a Serrat song would be the serenade I'd offer to the moon. I would water roses with
my tears, to feel the pain of their thorns and the red kiss of their petals... My
God, if I had a piece of life... I wouldn't let a single day pass without telling
the people I love that I love them. I would convince each woman and each man that
they are my favorites, and I would live in love with love. I would show men how
very wrong they are to think that they cease to be in love when they grow old,
not knowing that they grow old when they cease to be in love! To a child I shall
give wings, but I shall let him learn to fly on his own. I would teach the old
that death does not come with old age, but with forgetting .So much have I learned
from you, oh men ... I have learned that everyone wants to live at the top of the
mountain, without knowing that real happiness is in how it is scaled.I have
learned that when a new born child first squeezes his father's finger in his tiny
fist, he has him trapped forever. I have learned that a man has the right to look
down on another only when he has to help the other get to his feet.From you I
have learned so many things, but in truth they won't be of much use, for when I
keep them within this suitcase, unhappily shall I be dying.

Updated:

_______

The text Called “ la Marioneta” made its rounds of the internet, as well as several Latin American newspaper Attributed to Garcia Marquez and believed to be a “ Farewell letter” to his friends. It was uncovered to really be the work of a ventriloquist named Johnny Welch, while Gabo is indeed suffering from lymphatic cancer this “ farewell letter” is merely a hoax.

9 comments:

x said...

"I would be in love with love"

One word...wow!

x said...

amazing indeed!
I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't read any of his major works yet, especially after reading this.
Thanks for sharing

x said...

I actually tried reading A Hundered Years of Solitude a few times. I was never able to finish it. I found it too boring, even though I liked his writing style.

Anonymous said...

HI Soraya; thank you for showing interest in one of the greatest writers of all times. However, this letter wasn't written by Gabo, rather it was a hoax which was spread on the internet and some news papers and became widely famous among Gabo's readers "http://www.themodernword.com/gabo/gabo_news.html#Anchor-49575" follow the link for more info. I consider myself one of the lawyal readers of Gabo, and I felt is my duty to contribute. a very good reading would be his memoirs of which only the first part is published and two are yet to come.

Syrianita said...

Thank u Aziz for clearing up about the Text.. Anyway whether it was written by Gabo or not. It still a nice impressing text to read…I’ve read for Gabo
One Hundred Years of Solitude, Love in the Time of Cholera, and a collection of short stories…I look forward for reading his memories

Thanks again

Sam... said...

Aziz,

Thanks for the clarification.

Soraya,

Thanks for sharing this with the rest of us, it is touching no matter who wrote it.

Cheers,

Anonymous said...

I am impressed Soraya with your readings, and I would recommend a book by Eduardo Galiano called 'Memory of fire". it is a tryology about the history of the american content written in short story style. I agree with you that the letter is very good, and that is why it was believed by many to be Gabo's own writing. I will be following your blog for more.

Ihsan said...

Started with "A hundred years of Solitude" but never managed to get beyond the 10th page!

I think I have what's called the "10th page symptom" :\

Nice reading tho!

Anonymous said...

This is world-class write up! heart touching, had to share with facebook!@bose

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