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 leaning
And company 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 open
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 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 and learn
With every good-bye you learn.
~ Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Luis Borges with Maria Kodama and other Friends
