My Soul is in a Hurry

I counted my years and realized
that I have less time to live than the time I have lived so far.
I have more past than future.
I feel like that boy who had a bowl of cherries.
At first he gobbled them,
but when he realize that there were only a few left,
he began to taste them intensely.

I no longer have time to deal with mediocrity.
I don’t want to be in meetings where flamed egos parade.
I am bothered by the envious,
who seek to discredit the most able,
to usurp their places,
coveting their seats, talent, achievements and luck.

I do not have time for endless conversations,
useless discussions about the lives of others who are not part of mine.
I no longer have the time to handle or manage
the sensitivities of people who, despite their chronological age,
are immature.

I hate to confront those who struggle for power,
and those who do not debate the content,
just the labels.
My time has become scare to debate labels.
I want the inner essence.

My soul is in a hurry.
Not many cherries in my bowl.
I want to live close to people who are “human” –
humans who laugh at their own weaknesses;
and away from those who became smug
and overconfident with their triumphs,
and away from those filled with self-importance.

The essentials are what make life worthwhile.
And for me, the essentials are more than enough!
Yes, I’m in a hurry.
I’m in a hurry to live with the intensity
that only maturity can give.
I don’t intend to waste any of the remaining cherries.

I am sure they will be exquisite,
much more than those I’ve eaten so far.
My goal is to reach the end satisfied and at peace
with my loved ones, and my conscience.
As Confucius said: “We have two lives.
The second begins when you realize you only have one.”

Mário de Andrade