Saturday, October 26, 2013

Al correr los años , Miguel de Unamuno

as years go by.....

年月が経つにつれて。 ミゲル デ ウナムーノ


"As the Years Go By" (Time Flies)

Talks about a major theme in philosophy and lyric (poetry and song) being how time flies for everyone, and are we, as we age, better for the experiences and emotions we have, or worse for "wear and tear", etc.

Relates the story of Juan and Juana, who are married after a long courtship. They try to have a child, but at first are unsuccessful. Each secretly blames the other a little bit, but when, finally, Juana becomes pregnant, both are overjoyed.

When this first child is born, Juan thinks it a miracle, can't understand how something so tiny and weak can survive, often finds himself at night inclining his head to the child to listen and make sure he was breathing.

Then came child number two ... three ... four ... up to nine. And with each, it seemed to Juan less of a miracle. Juana on the other hand, as see passed through pain to deliver each of the nine, remembered fondly each. It's sometimes easier to remember and cherish the difficult times in life than the easy ones.

Time continues to pass, Juana puts on some weight, gets a few wrinkles, is still beautiful, but not quite the vision she used to be. She also, in turn, noticed the changes of age in her husband, Juan. But she continues to show him great love, and each time they kiss, she feels his love not only for her, but for her as the mother of their children, as the person who has given him joy through the years/

With the passage of still more time, and a few more characteristic of aging in both of them, Juana notices that Juan is beginning to seem distracted, disinterested like he is searching for something else. She wonders where he could be finding love, if not with her.

One day, she sees him kissing a photograph from his wallet.
She wonders who this person could be. Finally, when he has left his wallet, and is not around, she can't help herself and searches for the photo. To her surprise, it is a photo of her, that she had given to him when she was 23 years old, shortly before they were married. She can't believe how much she has changed, and wonders if she is jealous of her younger self. Then she decides that it is not jealousy, but compassion and tenderness. Rather than returning the photo to Juan's wallet, she tucks it away.

A few days later, she notes that Juan has discovered that the photo is missing, and that he is discomforted by this. She decides to confront him about the secret he'd been keeping from her. When he tells her he has no secrets, she gives him back the photo and says, "Keep it, and kiss it all you want, but not secretly". He takes the photo and tosses it on the fire, and pulls her down to sit on his knee. "I don't need that, that is dead, you are here and alive, my love, my life, just as you are". With this, the passion and love returned to their relationship that had existed when she was 23. 


Adjuntado aquí el texto original en español. Pincha aquí.


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