And so began the Brazilian poet Mário de Andrade (São Paulo 1893-1945). I totally get it.

I feel like a kid who won a pack of candies: initially I was devouring them with glee, only now do I savor each remaining piece as the supply dwindles. And so I’ve no time for endless meetings where statutes, or rules and procedures are dissected ad nauseam, only to yield no action.

My time is too precious: I crave essence; my spirit is in a hurry.

I want to live among realistic people who can laugh at their mistakes, aren’t puffed up by their triumphs, and take responsibility for their actions. It’s through this that human dignity is upheld, and we can live in truth and honesty. Patience for absurdity? Gone as well. Despite chronological age, some people simply refuse to grow up. I’m ok with that, just not near me. I seek the company of those who, through life’s hard knocks, have learned to grow with gentle touches of the soul.

Yes, I’m in a hurry. I want to live with the intensity that only maturity brings. I don’t intend to waste any of the remaining sweets. I’m sure they’ll be exquisite, more so than those I’ve tasted so far.

“We have two lives and the second begins when you realize you only have one.”

~Mário de Andrade (São Paulo 1893-1945)