AN INTERVIEW WITH GOD

by Octavian Paler
Translated from Romanian by Adriana Papara


"You would like to interview me", God said.

"If you have time."

God smiled.

"My time is ETERNITY. What do you want to ask me?


"What surprises you the most about humans?"

God responded:

"The fact that they are bored with their childhood and are in a hurry to grow up . . . and then crave to be children.
"They lose their health by making money . . . and after that, they lose their money to regain their health.
"The fact that they are afraid about their future and forget the present, and so they don't live the present or the future; they live as if they will never die and die as if they have never lived."

God took my hand and we stayed silent for awhile.
Then I asked,

"As a parent, what should be the lessons about life that your kids have to know?"

"To learn that it takes just a few seconds to open deep wounds in the heart of loved ones.  And it takes years to cure these wounds.
"To learn that a rich man is not the one who has the 'most'; he is the man who needs less.
"To learn that there exist people who love but who don't know how to express their feelings.
"To learn that two men can see the same thing and see it in a different way.
"To learn that it is not enough to forgive others, but also they have to forgive themselves."

"Thanks for your time" I said, "But is there something else that humans have to know?"

God looked at me, laughing, . . and said:

"Just the fact that I am here FOREVER."