“Time is an invisible weaver, sometimes dressing us in silk, other times in coarse cotton.” — If Machado de Assis had written a manual on aging gracefully, he might have begun this way. But since he left only hints in his works, let us follow his lead and discover, between books and coffee, the art of starting the day well in one’s golden years.
Contents
I. Awakening: Between Sleep and Memory
The elderly do not wake up—they resurface. There is always a moment of bewilderment, like the one José Saramago describes in Death with Interruptions:
“The man woke up and didn’t know if he was himself or another, until his bones ached and he recognized his old body.”
Practical suggestion:
- Stretch while still in bed. As Guimarães Rosa once said, “The body is an animal that must be tamed with gentleness.”
- Smile at the mirror. If the reflection seems unfamiliar, remember Cecília Meireles in Portrait:
“I am not the one I left behind… / But I am not someone else either.”
II. The Coffee (or Tea) Ritual
Machado knew that coffee was more than a drink—it was a philosophical act. In Dom Casmurro, Bentinho reflects:
“The coffee had gone cold; but what does it matter? What is hot cools, and what is cold can be warmed again.”
Suggested morning reading:
- For those in a hurry: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. A book that takes half an hour to read and warms the soul.
- For the contemplative: The Book of Tea by Kakuzo Okakura. An ode to simplicity and pause.
Practical suggestion:
- Sip slowly. As Rubem Braes wrote in The Time Machine:
“Time does not stop. But who said we must run with it?”
III. The Body in Motion: Neither Too Fast Nor Too Slow
Carlos Drummond de Andrade, in The Man and His Hour, says:
“Walking is a way of conversing with the earth.”
Books that inspire movement:
- Walking is Necessary by Mia Couto. A collection of essays on walking and discovery.
- The Drunkard’s Walk by Leonard Mlodinow. On how movement can be random but always full of grace.
Practical suggestion:
- Walk with a poem in mind. How about The Way Home by Cora Coralina?
“Happy is the one who shares what they know / And learns what they teach.”
IV. A Peaceful Mind: A Dialogue with Memories
Lygia Fagundes Telles wrote in The Girls:
“Memory is a silver thread connecting us to who we once were.”
Books to soothe the soul:
- Invented Memories by Manoel de Barros. Pure poetry for those who like to reinvent the past.
- The Book of Embraces by Eduardo Galeano. Short stories that warm the heart.
Practical suggestion:
- Jot down a memory from the day before. As Clarice Lispector teaches in The Hour of the Star:
“To write is to remember what never existed.”
V. Human Connection: A Good Morning for Someone
Mario Quintana, in Notebook H, quips:
“Friendship is a love that never dies.”
Books on affection and connection:
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. On the importance of listening to the heart and sharing stories.
- The Night of Waiting by Milton Hatoum. A reflection on family ties and time.
Practical suggestion:
- Give someone a compliment today. As Vinicius de Moraes wrote in Sonnet of Fidelity:
“Let it be infinite while it lasts.”
Conclusion: The Art of a Good Beginning
Aging is like rereading a favorite book—we discover nuances we once overlooked. As Jorge Luis Borges wrote in The Maker:
“Time is a river that sweeps me along, but I am the river.”
May your mornings be like this: filled with welcoming pages, quiet laughter, and the certainty that, as Drummond said, “the world is vast and fits within this window.”
Reinaldo Dias is an experienced administrator, consultant, and publisher with a passion for innovation and technology. Married and a proud father of two daughters, Reinaldo has dedicated the past eight years to studying and mastering the dynamic world of the web. Always staying ahead of the curve, he is deeply enthusiastic about leveraging technology to drive progress and create meaningful solutions. His commitment to staying updated in a fast-evolving digital landscape reflects his dedication to continuous learning and professional growth.