This was written by a Colombian author, perhaps one of the brightest latin literary minds of our time. The beauty of the words may be a little lost in the translation (since my friend translated this from Spanish to English), but I think the meaning stays the same. In the times of turmoil that we are living in, its a good read - even if you don't have an organised view on who God is...

NOTE: He is dying of lymphatic cancer, and this is the goodbye letter he wrote to his friends.


If, for an instant, God forgot that I am a puppet and gave me a piece of life, I possibly would not say everything I think, but think everything I say.

I would value things not for what they are worth, but for what they mean.

I would sleep less, dream more, I understand that for every minute we close our eyes, we lose sixty seconds of light. I would go when others halt, wake up when others sleep. I would listen when others speak and how would I enjoy a good chocolate ice cream!

If God gave me a piece of life, I would dress simply, throw myself face up unto the sun, bearing not only my body, but also my soul.
God, if I had a heart, I would write all of my hate on ice, and wait for the sun to come up. I would paint with a Van Gogh dream upon the stars a Benedetti poem and a Serrat song would be my serenade to the moon. I would water the roses with my tears, to feel the pain of their thorns, and the incarnate kiss of their petals...

God, if I only had a piece of life... I would not let a single day pass without telling the people I love, that I love them. I would convince every woman and man that they are my favourites, and I would live in love with love.

I would prove to men how wrong they are to think that they stop falling in love when they grow old, without knowing you grow old when you stop falling in love! I would give wings to a child, but let him learn to fly on his own. I would teach the elderly that death does not come with old age, but with forgetting. I have learned so much from you, the people...

I have learned that everyone wants to live on the top of the mountain, without knowing that real happiness lies in the way you climb up. I have learned that when a newborn grabs, with his little fist, for the first time his father's finger, he has him caught forever.

I have learned that a man only has the right to look down on another man, when he is helping him rise. There are so many things I have learned from you, but they're not going to do much good, for when you pack me in that suitcase, I will be unhappily dying.

Always say what you feel and what you think. If I knew today would be the last time I was to see you sleep, I would hold you tight and ask the lord to be the keeper of your soul. If I knew this were the last time I would watch you walk out the door, I would give you a hug, a kiss, and then call you back so I could give you more. If I knew this was the last time I was going to hear your voice, I would tape every one of your words so I could hear them over and over again indefinately. If I knew these were the last minutes I was going to see you, I would say "I love you" and not assume, stupidly, that you already know.

There is always a tomorrow, and life gives us another chance to do things right, but, just in case I am wrong and today is all we have left, I would like to say how much I love you and that I am never going to forget you.

Tomorrow is not assured for anyone, young or old. Today may be the last day you see the people you love. So don't wait any longer, do it today, so if tomorrow never comes, you will surely regret the day you didn't take time for a smile, a hug, a kiss and that you were to busy to grant them one last wish. Keep the people you love close to you, whisper in your ear how much you need them, love them and treat them well. Take time to tell 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 wisdom to express them. Show your friends how much you care for them.

- Gabriel García Marquez