in memory of someone I appreciate

Several days ago, Octavian Paler died, at the age of 81. He is a writer and journalist that influenced me in the way of thinking, whose work I deeply appreciate, for it's simplicity, for it's realism and at the same time it's idealism, it's honesty that sometimes may seem cruel...nothing but verbs and nouns...and great litterature...

"I owe everything I have accomplished in my life to my flaws. If somebody tells me that I am a loser, I will take it as a compliment. For this means that I could have done much more in my life, therefore my potential is far greater than what I have achieved in life. On the other hand, if I am told that I am an accomplished person, I will take it almost as an insult." Octavian Paler

Here is a clumsy translation of one of M. Octavian Paler's poems. (it's not the same poem that I translated in French)

We have time...

We have time for everything.
To sleep, to run here and there, to regret our mistakes and to be wrong again,
to judge the others and to forgive ourselves
we have time to read and to write,
to correct what we have written, to regret what we have written,
we have time to conceive projects and not to respect them,
we have time to make illusions and to rummage through their ashes later.
We have time for ambitions and diseases,
to blame fate and the details,
we have time to watch the clouds, the commercials or a certain accident,
we have time to chase away our questions, to postpone the answers,
we have time to crash a dream and to reinvent it,
we have time to make friends and to lose them,
we have time to take lessons and to forget them later,
we have time to receive gifts and not to understand them.
We have time for everything.
The only thing there isn’t any time for is a little tenderness.
When we are about to do that too – we die.
I learned a few things in life which I share with you!!
I learned that you cannot make somebody love you
All you can do is to be a loved person.
The rest…depends on the others.
I learned that no matter how much I should care,
The others might not care at all.
I learned that it takes years to win trust
And that in only a few seconds you might lose it.
I learned that it doesn’t matter WHAT you have in life
but WHOM you have.
I learned that you can manage with your charm and it’s useful for about fifteen minutes.
Afterwards, you should know something too.
I learned that you mustn’t compare yourself with what others can do best
But with what YOU can do.
I learned that it is not important what problems people have
But what it matters is what I can do to resolve their problems.
I learned that no matter how you cut
Everything has two sides.
I learned that you must say goodbye to loved ones with tender words
It might be the last time you see them.
I learned that we can continue long time
After having said “I cannot do it anymore”
I learned that HEROES are those who do the right thing at the right time
No matter the consequences
I learned that there are people who love you,
But do not know how to show it
I learned that when I am angry, I have the right to be angry
But I do not have the right to be mean.
I learned that true friendship continues to exist even at distance
And this is applied to true love also.
I learned that if somebody doesn’t love you the way you wanted them to
It does not mean that they don’t love you from all their heart
I learned that no matter how good a friend is to you
He will still hurt you from time to time.
And you have to forgive him for that.
I learned that it’s not always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to forgive yourself
I learned that no matter how much you are hurting
The world will not stop because of your pain.
I learned that the past and the circumstances may influence your personality
But that YOU are responsible for what you become.
I learned that, if two people quarrel, it doesn’t mean that they don’t love each other.
And neither does the fact that they don’t quarrel prove that they love each other.
I learned that sometimes you have to put the person first
And not his/her acts
I learned that two people can watch the same thing
And see something totally different.
I learned that no matter the consequences
Those who are honest with themselves will achieve more in life.
I learned that your life can be changed in a few hours
By people who don’t even know you.
I learned that even when you think you have nothing left to give
When a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help him.
I learned that writing
As well as talking
can heal the sorrows of your heart.
I learned that people whom you care about most
Are taken away from you much too soon…
I learned that it’s too hard to realise where to draw the line between being polite, not hurting people and sustaining your opinions.
I learned to love
so that I can be loved.

by Octavian Paler