Thank you for this article. When I was feeling particularly low when I was about 16 one of my friends gave me this poem. I kept the poem printed on a bit of paper in my wallet for many years and I never forgot it. It’s called “You Learn” by Luis de Borges (I think, just Googled it):
You Learn...
After a while you learn
The subtle difference
Between holding a hand
And chaining a soul...
And you learn
That love doesn't mean security,
And you begin to learn
That kisses aren't contracts
And presents aren't promises.
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes ahead
With the grace of a woman
Not the grief of a child...
And you learn to build all your roads on today
Because tomorrow's ground is
Too uncertain for plans
And futures have a way of falling down
In mid-flight.
After a while you learn
That even sunshine burns if you get too much
So you plant your own garden
And decorate your own soul
Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
On reflection and looking at it again right now - many years - later it’s a little cheesy perhaps? But it’s very pretty and I found it very helpful at the time.
Thank you for this article. When I was feeling particularly low when I was about 16 one of my friends gave me this poem. I kept the poem printed on a bit of paper in my wallet for many years and I never forgot it. It’s called “You Learn” by Luis de Borges (I think, just Googled it):
You Learn...
After a while you learn
The subtle difference
Between holding a hand
And chaining a soul...
And you learn
That love doesn't mean security,
And you begin to learn
That kisses aren't contracts
And presents aren't promises.
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes ahead
With the grace of a woman
Not the grief of a child...
And you learn to build all your roads on today
Because tomorrow's ground is
Too uncertain for plans
And futures have a way of falling down
In mid-flight.
After a while you learn
That even sunshine burns if you get too much
So you plant your own garden
And decorate your own soul
Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn
That you really can endure
That you really are strong
And you really do have worth.
And you learn...
With every goodbye
You learn.
that is a wow. thank you for sharing.
🙏🏼
On reflection and looking at it again right now - many years - later it’s a little cheesy perhaps? But it’s very pretty and I found it very helpful at the time.