Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Farewell Letter to Humanity.
Sick with cancer and assuming that he would soon die, he wrote the following lines:
"If only for a moment God would forget that I am a simple rag doll and give me a piece of life, then I might not say everything I think, but I would definitely think about what I say.
I would value things not by their value, but by their importance.
I would sleep little and dream a lot, realizing that every minute we close our eyes we lose sixty seconds of light.
I would walk when others are standing, I would stay awake when others are sleeping, and I would listen when others are talking. And how I would enjoy the wonderful taste of chocolate ice cream!
If God had given me another moment of life, I would dress more modestly and throw myself under the rays of the sun, exposing not only my body but also my soul. My God, if I had a heart, I would lock all my hatred in ice and wait for the sun to rise. I would paint Benedetti's poem under the stars with Van Gogh's dream, and Serrat's song would be my serenade to the Moon. I would water the roses with my tears to feel the prick of their thorns and the red kiss of their petals. My God, if I had just a piece of life...
I would not let a single day go by without telling my loved ones how much I love them. I would prove my love to the people dear to me and live in love with love. I would explain to those who are mistaken in thinking that they stop falling in love when they grow old, that they do not understand that they grow old when they stop falling in love. I would give wings to a child, but I would let him learn to fly himself.
I would make the elderly understand that death does not come with old age, but with oblivion. I have learned so much from you, people.
I have understood that everyone wants to live on the top of the mountain, without realizing that true happiness is the path to the top.
I have understood that from the moment a newborn baby first holds his father's finger with his little hand, he holds it forever.
I have realized that a person has the right to look down on another person only if they want to help him stand up.
I could still learn so much from you, man, but in reality they are hardly needed. When they put me in this "suitcase", I will already be, unfortunately, dead. Always say what you feel and do what you think.
If I knew that today was the last time I would see you sleeping, I would hug you tightly and pray to God to make me your guardian angel. If I knew that today was the last time I would see you leaving the door, I would hug you, kiss you and call you back to give you more. If I knew that this was the last time I would hear your voice, I would record everything you would say so that I could listen to it over and over again. If I knew that these were the last minutes I would see you, I would say I love you, and I would not even assume that you knew it one way or another.
There is always tomorrow, and life gives us another chance to make things right, but if I am wrong, and today is the last day we have left, I would like to say how much I love you and I will never forget you.
No one can be sure that tomorrow will come. Today may be the last time you see your loved ones. Don't wait, act today. If tomorrow never comes, you will regret the day when you didn't find time for a smile, a hug, a kiss, and when you were too busy to fulfill your last wish. Be there for your loved ones, whisper how much you need them, love them and be gentle with them, find time to say I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm grateful, and all the words of love you know.
Make your dreams come true. That time has come."
Sick with cancer and assuming that he would soon die, he wrote the following lines:
"If only for a moment God would forget that I am a simple rag doll and give me a piece of life, then I might not say everything I think, but I would definitely think about what I say.
I would value things not by their value, but by their importance.
I would sleep little and dream a lot, realizing that every minute we close our eyes we lose sixty seconds of light.
I would walk when others are standing, I would stay awake when others are sleeping, and I would listen when others are talking. And how I would enjoy the wonderful taste of chocolate ice cream!
If God had given me another moment of life, I would dress more modestly and throw myself under the rays of the sun, exposing not only my body but also my soul. My God, if I had a heart, I would lock all my hatred in ice and wait for the sun to rise. I would paint Benedetti's poem under the stars with Van Gogh's dream, and Serrat's song would be my serenade to the Moon. I would water the roses with my tears to feel the prick of their thorns and the red kiss of their petals. My God, if I had just a piece of life...
I would not let a single day go by without telling my loved ones how much I love them. I would prove my love to the people dear to me and live in love with love. I would explain to those who are mistaken in thinking that they stop falling in love when they grow old, that they do not understand that they grow old when they stop falling in love. I would give wings to a child, but I would let him learn to fly himself.
I would make the elderly understand that death does not come with old age, but with oblivion. I have learned so much from you, people.
I have understood that everyone wants to live on the top of the mountain, without realizing that true happiness is the path to the top.
I have understood that from the moment a newborn baby first holds his father's finger with his little hand, he holds it forever.
I have realized that a person has the right to look down on another person only if they want to help him stand up.
I could still learn so much from you, man, but in reality they are hardly needed. When they put me in this "suitcase", I will already be, unfortunately, dead. Always say what you feel and do what you think.
If I knew that today was the last time I would see you sleeping, I would hug you tightly and pray to God to make me your guardian angel. If I knew that today was the last time I would see you leaving the door, I would hug you, kiss you and call you back to give you more. If I knew that this was the last time I would hear your voice, I would record everything you would say so that I could listen to it over and over again. If I knew that these were the last minutes I would see you, I would say I love you, and I would not even assume that you knew it one way or another.
There is always tomorrow, and life gives us another chance to make things right, but if I am wrong, and today is the last day we have left, I would like to say how much I love you and I will never forget you.
No one can be sure that tomorrow will come. Today may be the last time you see your loved ones. Don't wait, act today. If tomorrow never comes, you will regret the day when you didn't find time for a smile, a hug, a kiss, and when you were too busy to fulfill your last wish. Be there for your loved ones, whisper how much you need them, love them and be gentle with them, find time to say I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm grateful, and all the words of love you know.