Sempre Abril

Para comemorar este dia, uma hora (bem passada) com a memória do grande (e eterno) Zeca Afonso. Gostei de ver:

Comoveu-me a interpretação dos “cantadores” do Redondo de Grândola Vila Morena e também gostei de rever algumas das imagens a preto e branco que tantas recordações me trazem.

O que será feito daquela gente toda, para onde terá ido toda aquela inocência, alegria e esperança? Será que a desilusão e o esquecimento se instalaram definitivamente? Pena se for esse o caso, pois se é verdade que algumas coisas pioraram, o certo é que também houve muitas mudanças para o melhor. Acho importante recordarmo-nos bem de como as coisas foram durante 48 anos e deixarmo-nos de memórias selectivas.

(inconvenient truths) In a free world:

There’s colors on the street

Red, White and Blue

People shuffling their feet, people sleeping in their shoes

But there’s a warning sign on the road ahead

There’s a lot of people saying, we’d be better off dead

Don’t feel like Satan, but I am to them

So I try to forget it any way I can

I see a woman in the night with a baby in her hand

Under an old street light, near a garbage can

Now she puts the kid away, and she’s gone to get a hit

She hates her life and what she’s done to it

There’s one more kid that will never go to school

Never get to fall in love, never get to be cool.

We got a thousand points of light for the homeless man

Now he’s sleeping in the dark anywhere he can

We got a kinder, gentler, machine gun hand

We got department stores and toilet paper

Got Styrofoam boxes for the ozone layer

Got a man of the people,

Says keep hope alive,

Got fuel to burn, got roads to drive

But, by all means, go on “rocking in the free world”, the greatest country on earth -- lembro-me bem destes discursos.

Michael and Karma

Michael hired me back in 1994 and, despite our very different personalities, during my two years of reporting to him we always had a very cordial and respectful professional relationship. We also worked very well together and complemented each other in our strengths and weaknesses; as he was fond of saying, “We make a good team, kid!” I tend to agree.  Neither one of us works for the same company now, but we’ve been friends ever since.

I use the word “friends” somewhat loosely here, as we (like so many others) have allowed modern life’s daily rat-race to get in the way of our friendship; the result is that we went a good five years without seeing one another. We saw each other again tonight, and I felt guilty. After seeing my (former- boss-always-friend) and listening to the turmoil he has endured these past couple of years, I vow to never, ever, complain again.

Michael was diagnosed with a crippling, incurable and progressive decease, which resulted in him losing his job and, soon, his car, his only means of transportation; he saw his house burn to the ground, rebuilt it and now risks losing it to foreclosure; a car accident left him with broken ribs, a fractured patella and no front teeth; he lost his best friend, both parents and his beloved pet; he lost sight in one eye and is at risk of losing it in the other.  As he’s telling me all this I am just standing there, flabbergasted at all I’m hearing and in awe of this man’s attitude. When I express my concern he’s the one who reassures me that everything happens for a reason and that it will all work out; that he feels blessed for all the loving people he has in his life who, although none can help him financially, will never let him live without a roof over his head.

I am reminded of another Michael’s famous phrase: “A lady had a baby up a tree, so stop complaining!” In reality, if only I’d take the time to count my blessings rather than wasting precious moments concentrating on life’s disappointments and mistakes, I could be a much happier person.We hug each other as we say goodbye and promise to get together again soon, saying that we shouldn’t go so long without seeing each other. All things that everyone says but then, as life gets in the way of our best intentions (and death, sometimes, sneaks up unannounced) we all regret falling into the same trap again… and again…and again. Same ol’ same ol’; same old excuses. As time keeps on moving, as the clock keeps on ticking.

Your attitude is commendable Michael, and you are an inspiration to behold. You have touched so many lives during your 58 years on planet Earth that it’s about time you, yourself, become the recipient of others’ goodwill, generosity and love. What goes around comes around, my friend. I am so sorry for all you’ve had to endure, but rest assured that as long as you keep those spirits up and maintain that positive attitude, that heart of gold of yours will never let you down and you will never be completely alone. 

For you:

 

Stay well, my friend. I’ll stay in touch, that’s a promise.

As redes sociais

Assusta-me a fraude generalizada e a falta de privacidade das redes sociais. Também não dou lá muito valor às relações superficiais, que é o que mais se vê neste tipo de meios de comunicação. Narcisistas a publicar “selfies” e afins repugnam-me. Não tenho interesse absolutamente nenhum em ter centenas de “amigos” que pouco ou nada me dizem. Os amigos que tenho são poucos, mas não os troco por nada deste mundo. Esses sim, dizem-me muito; os outros são meros “conhecidos.” São precisamente estas as razões porque acho que as redes sociais não são o modo mais indicado para colmatar a solidão.

Mas também lhes reconheço os benefícios. Sobretudo quando a vida se encarregou de dispersar famílias e amigos pelos quatro cantos do mundo. A Internet já me permitiu reestabelecer contacto com amigos de infância e juventude que julgava perdidos para sempre e por isso estou-lhe grata. Também sei de casos em que as redes sociais, com o seu vasto número de membros, têm ajudado uma enorme quantidade de pessoas e causas nobres. E isso, obviamente, é óptimo. Mas continuo com sérias reservas em estabelecer contas nas mais variadas redes sociais, precisamente pelas razões acima mencionadas. 

É um erro usar as redes sociais como uma espécie de escape ou boia-de-salvação num presente longe de ser o ideal. Sim, reestabelecer contacto com pessoas que em tempos idos foram muito importantes para nós é deveras agradável, mas, como uma vez me fez ver uma dessas pessoas, “Por este meio, é facil idealizar ou demonizar pessoas ou situações. Há um imenso ecrã entre as emoções, expectativas e a realidade, essa coisa tantas vezes inaceitável. Desde que se saiba gerir bem esse filtro, ‘gap’ ou fantasia tudo bem!” Isto para evitar as desilusões, as eventuais quedas das nuvens que doem como o diabo – que é o que dá quando as expectativas são muitas, quando confundimos pensamentos positivos com fantasias... e depois acordamos.

Thanks my 1/M friend.