Tag: Life

Letter from a mother

A friend of mine on Facebook tagged me in the photo below and to the letter in Spanish. Later a French translation turned up in that thread and I have found an English version.

That letter strikes a cord in me, it could have been written by my mother to me. We’re in that phase of life when the tables turn, she no longer manages on her own and I have to help her. Changes happened gradually and fairly slow during the last few years but lately it changed much faster. It’s hard to see your mother change like that, from independent and managing her own life to needing more and more help.

The letter in English

Please note that this is not a straight translation of the letters in French and Spanish below.

The day that you see me old I ask of you, please have patience and try to understand me.

If when we talk, I repeat a thousand times the same thing, do not interrupt me to tell me “you’ve already told me,” just listen to me please and remember the days when you were a kid and I was reading the same story night after night until you did fall asleep.

When I do not want to wash, do not scold me and especially do not try to make me feel guilty. Remember that I had to run after you with a thousand reasons for you to take your bath when you were young.

When you realize my ignorance on new technologies, give me time to learn, and especially do not do those big eyes and do not look so desperate. Remember my dear that I taught you how to do many things like eating properly, get dressed and comb your hair and how to cope with life events

The day you notice that I am getting old, please be patient and above all try to understand me. If at times I lose the memory or the thread of the conversation, give me time to remember if I can, do not become nervous, just know in your heart that what is most important is that you listen to me and I’ll be by your side.

And when my tired old legs can no longer walk as before, give me your hand, the same way as I did at your first steps. When that time comes, do not feel sad or incompetent. I ask only to be with me, understand me and try to help me with love as my life ends.

And with all this love for the gift of time and life we shared, I would thank you with a big smile and with such great affection I had for you all the time. I just want to tell you that I love you my dear daughter.

I found another English version at Dear son and daughter, take a look at the photos.

The letter in Spanish

Carta de una madre a su hija
Mi querida hija, el día que me veas vieja, te pido… por favor que tengas paciencia, pero sobre todo trata de entenderme. Si cuando hablamos, repito lo mismo mil veces, no me interrumpas para decirme “eso ya me lo contaste” solamente escúchame por favor. Y recordar los tiempos en que eras niña y yo te leía la misma historia, noche tras noche hasta que te quedabas dormida. Cuando no me quiera bañar, no me regañes y por favor no trates de avergonzarme, solamente recuerda las veces que yo tuve que perseguirte con miles de excusas para que te bañaras cuando eras niña. Cuando veas mi ignorancia ante la nueva tecnología, dame el tiempo necesario para aprender, y por favor no hagas esos ojos ni esas caras de desesperada. Recuerda mi querida, que yo te enseñé a hacer muchas cosas como comer apropiadamente, vestirte y peinarte por ti misma y como confrontar y lidiar con la vida. El día que notes que me estoy volviendo vieja, por favor, ten paciencia conmigo y sobre todo trata de entenderme. Si ocasionalmente pierdo la memoria o el hilo de la conversación, dame el tiempo necesario para recordar y si no puedo, no te pongas nerviosa, impaciente o arrogante. Solamente ten presente en tu corazón que lo más importante para mí es estar contigo y que me escuches. Y cuando mis cansadas y viejas piernas, no me dejen caminar como antes, dame tu mano, de la misma manera que yo te las ofrecí cuando diste tus primero pasos. Cuando estos días vengan, no te debes sentir triste o incompetente de verme así, sólo te pido que estés conmigo, que trates de entenderme y ayudarme mientras llego al final de mi vida con amor. Y con gran cariño por el regalo de tiempo y vida, que tuvimos la dicha de compartir juntas, te lo agradeceré. Con una enorme sonrisa y con el inmenso amor que siempre te he tenido, sólo quiero decirte que te amo, mi querida hija…

The letter in French

Lettre d’une mère à sa fille
ma chère fille, le jour où tu me verras vieille, je te demande…s’il te plait, aies de la patience, mais surtout essaies de me comprendre. Si lorsque nous parlons, je répète mille fois la même chose, ne m’interromps pas pour me dire “tu me l’as déjà raconté”, écoute moi seulement s’il te plait et rappelle toi de l’époque où tu étais enfant et que je te lisais la même histoire nuit après nuit jusqu’à ce que tu t’endormes. Lorsque je ne voudrai pas me laver, ne me gronde pas et surtout n’essaie pas de me culpabiliser, rappelle toi seulement les fois ou je dus te courir après avec mille excuses pour que tu prennes ton bain lorsque tu était petite. Lorsque tu te rendras compte de mon ignorance à l’égard des nouvelles technologies, donne moi le temps nécessaire pour apprendre, et surtout ne fais pas ces gros yeux ni ne prend pas cet air désespéré. Rappelle toi ma chérie que moi, je t’ai appris à faire beaucoup de choses comme manger correctement, t’habiller et te coiffer et comment faire face aux événements de la vie. Le jour où tu remarqueras que je me fais vieille, s’il te plait sois patiente et surtout essaie de me comprendre. Si par moment, je perds la mémoire ou le fil de la conversation, donne moi le temps nécessaire pour me souvenir si je le peux, ne t’énerve pas, ne soit pas arrogante, seulement vois dans ton coeur que ce qui est le plus important est que tu m’écoutes et que je sois à tes côtés. Et lorsque mes vieilles jambes fatiguées ne pourront plus marcher comme avant, donne moi la main, de la même façon que moi, je le fis lors de tes premiers pas. Lorsque ce moment viendra, ne te sens pas triste ni incompétente, je te demande seulement d’être auprès de moi, de me comprendre et d’essayer de m’aider avec amour pendant que ma vie s’achève. Et avec tout cet amour pour cadeau du temps et de la vie que nous avons partagée, je te remercierais avec un grand sourire et avec cette grande affection que j’ai eu pour toi tout le temps. Je veux simplement te dire que je t’aime ma chère fille….

Life is so like a bluebird

This text turned up in a comment at cheerfulmonk.com and it says something about life:

Oh, life is so like a bluebird
The poet Omar hath said.
Sometimes it sings at your window,
And sometimes it dumps on your head.

This was originally posted at another (now extinct) blog of mine.

Great truths about life

Great truths about life that adults have learned

1. Raising teenagers is like nailing Jell-O to a tree.
2. Wrinkles don’t hurt.
3. Families are like fudge . . . mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
4. Today’s mighty oak is just yesterday’s nut that held its ground.
5. Laughing is good exercise. It’s like jogging on the inside.
6. Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy.
7. Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
8. Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
9. When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you’re down there.
10. You’re getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster.
11. It’s frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.
12. Time may be a great healer, but it’s a lousy beautician.
13. Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.

Great truths about life that children have learned

1. No matter how hard you try, you can’t baptize cats.
2. When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don’t let her brush your hair.
3. If your sister hits you, don’t hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4. Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5. You can’t trust dogs to watch your food.
6. Don’t sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7. Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8. You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9. Don’t wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10. The best place to be when you’re sad is Grandpa’s lap.

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