just give a little bit

Porque não devia ser assim. Esta época, devia ser um tempo de entrega, dar um pouco de nós àqueles que mais necessitam de apoio nesta altura do ano, perdoem-me o cliché. Tempo de alegria para todos. Não por ser Natal, mas por as ruas de Lisboa e, porventura, do resto do país serem abrigos frágeis a este tempo gelado que vagueia por Portugal. Foi com este pensamento que decidi participar no Natal dos Sem-Abrigo, na cantina da cidade universitária, nos dias 15, 16, 17 e 18.
Não posso dizer que tenha sido algo surreal ou fantástico, como nas histórias, porque as pessoas com quem falei são de carne e osso, do mais real que há.
Por outro lado, posso dizer que é uma experiência compensadora. Principalmente quando ouvimos, já no final do último dia, uma idosa a desejar-nos que tenhamos "um terço daquilo que demos, porque já é muito!" ou uma menina de 7 anos a desejar-nos um bom natal, enquanto sai do recinto, abraçada a uma boneca que lá lhe deram. Se houvesse algo de mágico nesta experiência seria este sentimento, de tal forma poderoso que fez com que as dores desaparecem e o desânimo se transformasse em alegria.
É, no mínimo, tocante ver como por algo que muitos de nós consideramos banal, como uma t-shirt ou uma camisola, as pessoas se emocionam. Como nos tocam com um olhar, como mudam a nossa maneira de pensar. Como modificam a nossa forma de olhar para as coisas, a maneira como interpretamos esta quadra.
Não posso esquecer as coisas menos boas, porque as houve, como há sempre. Prova disso foi a singular presença de Lili Caneças, que ocupou o recinto durante duas horas, impedindo os voluntários de continuarem o seu trabalho normalmente. Tudo isto para a TVI a filmar a entregar quatro (sim, 4) mantas, com o bónus de ter necessitado de mais de três takes para gravar esse curto momento de tamanha generosidade. É de muito baixo nível (mesmo muito) usar o slogan da solidariedade para promover a sua própria imagem. Isto até poderia ser chocante, não fosse Portugal um país com um suposto jet set que faz comentários como este: "Os sem-abrigo deviam assumir a sua condição" (Paula Bobone).
Deixo um obrigado especial às pessoas que conheci e reencontrei, aqueles que participaram, pois são eles que fazem do NSA (Natal dos Sem-Abrigo) aquilo que ele é. Um espaço de solidariedade e alegria, num mundo cada vez mais virado para o eu.

qualquer coisa assim

É qualquer coisa que é capaz de nos fazer rir, sonhar, pensar, chorar. Isso é um bom texto.
Este é um desses:

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’97... wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.

The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists; whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.

I will dispense this advice.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.

You are NOT as fat as you imagine.

Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself, either. Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body, use it every way you can. Don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.

Dance.

Even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings; they are your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography in lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth."

But trust me on the sunscreen.

Escrito por Mary Schmich

PS: No YouTube, está aqui.