<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Valuable Time of Maturity</span><br><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I counted my years and discovered that I have</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">less time to live going forward than I have lived until now.</span><br><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I have more past than future.</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I feel like the boy who received a bowl of candies.</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The first ones, he ate ungracious,</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">but when he realized there were only a few left,</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">he began to taste them deeply.</span><br><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I do not have time to deal with mediocrity.</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I do not want to be in meetings where parade inflamed egos.</span><br><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I am bothered by the envious, who seek to discredit</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">the most able, to usurp their places,</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">coveting their seats, talent, achievements and luck.</span><br><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I do not have time for endless conversations,</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">useless to discuss about the lives of others</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">who are not part of mine.</span><br><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I do not have time to manage sensitivities of people</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">who despite their chronological age, are immature.</span><br><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I cannot stand the result that generates</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">from those struggling for power.</span><br><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">People do not discuss content, only the labels.</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">My time has become scarce to discuss labels,</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I want the essence, my soul is in a hurry…</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Not many candies in the bowl…</span><br><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I want to live close to human people,</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">very human, who laugh of their own stumbles,</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">and away from those turned smug and overconfident</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">with their triumphs,</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">away from those filled with self-importance,</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Who does not run away from their responsibilities ..</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Who defends human dignity.</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">And who only want to walk on the side of truth</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">and honesty.</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The essential is what makes</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">life worthwhile.</span><br><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I want to surround myself with people,</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">who knows how to touch the hearts of people ….</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">People to whom the hard knocks of life,</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">taught them to grow with softness in their soul.</span><br><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes …. I am in a hurry … to live with intensity,</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">that only maturity can bring.</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I intend not to waste any part of the goodies</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I have left …</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm sure they will be more exquisite,</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">that most of which so far I've eaten.</span><br><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">My goal is to arrive to the end satisfied and in peace</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">with my loved ones and my conscience.</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope that your goal is the same,</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">because either way you will get there too.</span><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br></span></div><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(28, 30, 33); color: rgb(28, 30, 33); font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 16.875px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mário Raul de Morais Andrade</span></div></div></body></html>