Pensamientos

In thinking of what I would do, if I had life to live over again, I remembered a Poem by Jorge Luis Borges in Spanish and a similiar poem by 85 yr. old Nadine Stair ( I think Borges poem is a translation of Stair's, but I'm unsure). Here are both poems, the first in Spanish, followed by the English version: INSTANTES. visitas hasta hoy: Si pudiera vivir nuevamente mi vida. En la próxima trataria de cometer mas errores. No intentaria ser tan perfecto, me relajaria mas. Seria mas tonto de lo que he sido, de hecho tomaria muy pocas cosas con seriedad. Seria menos higienico. Correria mas riesgos, haria mas viajes, contemplaria mas atardeceres, subiria mas montañas, nadaria mas rios. Iria a mas lugares adonde nunca he ido, comeria mas helados y menos habas, tendria mas problemas reales y menos imaginarios. Yo fui una de esas personas que vivi sensata y prolificamente cada minuto de su vida; claro que tuve momentos de alegria. Pero si pudiera volver atras trataria de tener solamente buenos momentos. Por si no lo saben, de eso esta hecha la vida, solo de momentos; no te pierdas el de ahora. Yo era uno de esos que nunca iban a ninguna parte sin un termometro, una bolsa de agua caliente, un paraguas y un paracaidas; Si pudiera volver a vivir, viajaria mas liviano. Si pudiera vivir nuevamente comenzaría a andar descalzo a principios de la primavera y seguiría descalzo hasta concluir el otoño. Daria mas vueltas en calesita, contemplaria mas amaneceres, y jugaria con mas niños, si tuviera otra vez vida por delante. Pero ya ven, tengo 85 años y se que me estoy muriendo. JORGE LUIS BORGES. If I Had My Life To Live Over... I'd dare to make more mistakes next time. I'd relax. I would limber up. I would be sillier than I have been this trip. I would take fewer things seriously. I would take more chances. I would take more trips. I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers. I would eat more ice cream and less beans. I would perhaps have more actual troubles, but I'd have fewer imaginary ones. You see, I'm one of those people who live sensibly and sanely hour after hour, day after day. Oh, I've had my moments and if I had it to do over again I'd have more of them. In fact, I'd try to have nothing else. Just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day. I've been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat, and a parachute. If I had to do it again I would travel lighter than I have. If I had my life to live over I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds. I would pick more daisies. by NADINE STAIR, 85 years old - Louisville, Kentucky.