Joel's story - Time does not stand still | Reflection

Joel was a very cheerful man, a party animal, he liked to wander aimlessly, without being tied to commitments and much less responsibilities because he didn't feel that it was the right time to have them.

His only aim was to get to know cities, countries, people, customs and enjoy life, he believed that those who settled in one place and formed a family, lost part of their life and the enjoyment they could have in it.

He went and came back whenever he wanted, without telling anyone and often believing himself to be the master of the world and of destiny. When he arrived at a place he criticised those who did not do as he did and told them of his adventures as a great achievement. He thought he had everything under control and enough time to live his own way.

Joel era un hombre muy alegre, fiestero, le gustaba andar sin rumbo fijo, sin atarse a compromisos y mucho menos responsabilidades pues no sentía que era el momento de tenerlas.

Su único fin era conocer ciudades, países, gente, costumbres y disfrutar de la vida, creía que quienes se establecían en un punto y formaban familia, perdían parte de su vida y del disfrute que en esta podían tener.

Iba y regresaba cuando quería, sin avisar a nadie y muchas veces creyéndose dueño del mundo y del destino. Al llegar a un sitio criticaba a quienes no hacían como él y les contaba de sus aventuras como un gran logro. Creía tener todo controlado y el tiempo para vivir a su manera.

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Certainly for Joel it was a great achievement, his success was in being who he was, in travelling, in celebrating and working without ties or responsibilities, however, our protagonist had forgotten a very important detail.

Joel had forgotten that time doesn't exist, it moves forward and when we least realise it, perhaps we have lost it and although he thought he had and was making the most of it, he was beginning to realise that he was becoming lonely.

Soon he was no longer that handsome and lucky young man, his brothers made their families, his nephews and nieces grew up and although they loved him, each one lived in their own world, with their occupations and commitments. No one was aware of whether Joel was away or not, as it had become customary to see him and see him disappear for a while.

Ciertamente para Joel era un gran logro, su éxito estaba en ser quien era, en viajar, es festejar y trabajar sin ataduras, ni responsabilidades, sin embargo, nuestro protagonista olvidaba un detalle de suma importancia.

Joel había olvidado que el tiempo no se tiene, avanza y cuando menos nos damos cuenta quizás lo hemos perdido y aunque el pensaba que lo había y estaba aprovechando, se comenzaba a dar cuenta que se estaba quedando solo.

Pronto dejó de ser ese joven apuesto y afortunado, sus hermanos hicieron sus familias, sus sobrinos crecieron y aunque le querían vivian cada quien en su mundo, con sus ocupaciones y compromisos. Nadie estaba pendiente de que si Joel estaba o se iba de viaje, pues ya era costumbre verle y verle desaparecer por un tiempo.

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Little by little Joel began to realise that he was becoming lonely, he neglected his family, but above all he did not form one of his own. He had no children to take care of him or to accompany him in his old age, no grandchildren to play with and to tell his adventures to.

His friends were not there, there were so many places, in each one he had different friends and many of them had made their own lives, taking different paths. Real friends can be counted on the fingers of one hand and there are fingers to spare in these cases.

He began to visit only bars, to sit alone in front of the bar, telling his stories to those who approached him. One day the owner of the bar offered him a deal, he gave him the opportunity to tell jokes and his anecdotes on stage, creating a show for him, to which Joel accepted and began to discover a new facet.

Poco a poco Joel comenzó a darse cuenta que se estaba quedando solo, por andar en sus disfrutew descuido a su familia, pero sobretodo no formo una propia. No tenía hijos que le cuidarán o acompañaran en su vejez, tampoco nietos con quienes jugar y a los cuales contarles sus aventuras.

Sus amigos no estaban, fueron tantos lugares, en cada uno tenía amigos distintos y pues muchos habían hecho sus vidas, tomando caminos diferentes. Los amigos reales se suelen contar con los dedos de una mano y sobran dedos en estos casos.

Comenzó a visitar solo bares, a sentarse solo frente la barra, contando a quienes se acercaban sus historias. Un día el dueño del bar le propuso un trato, le dio la oportunidad de contar chistes y sus anécdotas en el escenario, creando para él un show, a lo cual Joel aceptó y comenzó a descubrir una nueva faceta.

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His whole life was now that stage, on which he saw different faces arrive and leave every night, he imagined that it was not the audience who arrived or left, but he who travelled different stages on a tour around the world.

He never stopped being an adventurer, his last years as a man full of strength were left in that place, his old age years he lived alone in a half-full room, where from time to time some of his nephews and nieces visited him.

Despite living life and enjoying many things about it without being tied to commitments or responsibilities, at the end of his days Joel understood that it is not good to be alone, and that criticising those who choose to settle down and live differently, made him no better than them.

Su vida entera ahora era ese escenario, en el cual veía cada noche llegar y salir rostros distintos, él imaginaba que no era el público quien llegaba o se iba, si no él que recorría distintos escenarios en un tour por el mundo.

Nunca dejó de ser un aventurero, sus últimos años como hombre lleno de fuerza fueron dejados en ese lugar, sus años de vejez los vivió solo en un cuarto medio lleno, donde de vez en cuando le visitaban algunos de sus sobrinos.

A pesar de vivir la vida y disfrutar muchas cosas de ella sin atarse a compromisos o responsabilidades, al final de sus días Joel entendió que no es bueno estar solo, y que criticar a quienes deciden establecerse y vivir de una forma distinta, no lo hizo mejor que ellos.

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It is not wrong to live life, but without forgetting that time does not stand still, it is always moving forward, even if we think we are eternally young.

No está mal vivir la vida, pero sin olvidar que el tiempo no se detiene, siempre avanza, aunque nos creamos eternamente jovenes.