Inese Dūka

You're still young…

You know how always this phrase is used to tell us that there still is so much for us to do and see. And mostly this is considered to be a positive thing. But some people have looked beyond the general positivism of the idea of being young and have put it into words. The best example I know for this is written by a Latvian writer Māra Zālīte and it has been turned into a touching song by the band Lādezers.

Tu esi vēl jauns tev viss vēl priekšā,
vēl tava māte mirs un dzisīs tev uz rokām.
Ar sāpēm sapazīsies, satiksies ar mokām.
Vēl tevi draugi nodos, mīlestība smies.
Vēl jēgu meklēsi, un rūgti pievilsies.
Tu esi vēl jauns, tev viss vēl priekšā.
Vēl šausmās skatīsies uz grumbām un uz krokām,
kas seju krokos tik pēc sava prāta.
Kaut paēdis, tu allaž alksi sāta.
Tu esi vēl jauns, tev viss vēl priekšā.
Par visu maksāsi, ko dzīries ņemt par velti,
un nāves bailēs tu glābsi sevi.

The rough translation into English would be:

You're still young, everything's still ahead of you
Your mother will die and breathe her last breath in your arms
You'll get to know pain, you'll meet torment
You're friends will betray you, love will laugh at you
You'll look for the meaning and will be bitterly disappointed
You're still young, everything's still ahead of you
You'll look in horror at wrinkles and creases
That will wrinkle your face to their liking
Though you'll have eaten enough, you'll always crave for satiety
You're still young, everything's still ahead of you
You'll pay for everything you thought you'd take for free
And in fear of death you'll save yourself

Endless possibilities - go figure what life holds for you…