THE TREE OF LIFE (NEW YORK CITY MARATHON, 19 YEARS AFTER).
Sofia, today is Saturday night, the night before the 2024 New York City Marathon.
As you know, Grandpa is a marathoner, and I hope you see me finish some of these 42km195m races around the world. Of course, if God allows it. But this year has been a lot of struggle to lose weight and fight obesity, I made a deal with your mother and aunt Sarah to be a sub 100kg weight by the end of the year.
Focus on the goal! I was at the beach last week, and I always sent them photos with this phrase, next to fruits, juices, my sunglasses and Sérgio Xavier Filho's incredible book about the Boston Marathon. They suspect that away from the cell phone lens there was another dish, with bread, cakes and bacon. This is a secret that will one day be revealed, but I have already lost 12kg in a few months. I'm going to meet my goal, and best of all, I'm feeling motivated again to run the Marathons, after a year of practically not running. And this environment undoubtedly has something to do with the arrival of November and the holding of this race, which always takes place on the first Sunday. I think you've already read some of my chronicles from that 2005 Marathon, which was truly magical.
If you ever want to run a Marathon, read my texts about running and remember me.
Never run without taking medical tests, especially heart tests, including an echocardiogram, which I always do despite not having heart problems. I am also a psychoanalyst in training and now I see clearly that I was facing many situations that paralyzed me on the racetrack.
Last month, during the biggest drought in Brasília since its foundation, I drove to Parque da Cidade by car, close to his house, and felt a great peace and longing, those incredible tracks welcoming me, as they have done for over 40 years. But I was stuck, and now I let go. Today I sent the girls an exciting video by Gustavo Maia about the New York Marathon. I've also shed a lot of tears at these Majors, there and here.
If everything goes well, you will see the Mandala in the living room here at home. Dráuzio Varela won his at the age of 79!
But the New York City Marathon already made me cry right here in Brasília, in the airport lounge. His mother was 14 years old and went there to say goodbye. He gave me a paper. So I sat there at boarding, anxious, alone, and finally managed to read that note. Jéssica wished me luck, remembered difficult moments in my life, congratulated me. They were the first tears of that race, the others were there in Central Park, at that finish, one of the most emotional moments of my life.
When I needed her, alone, she went to sleep at home, wearing that orange Marathon sweater.
Your mother is an incredible person, good daughter, sister, wife. God has blessed me so much with my daughters and you.
But this week of the 2024 New York Marathon something completely unusual happened on our thurday's night dinner. I will talk about these "family thursday's" in another chronicle. It was me, her and Sarah there at the table, I said that I was missing something very important, that I had been denied for decades, and that it seemed like there was no solution. Keka then lowered her head, thoughtfully, and the miracle happened.
She raised her head and said, look at this, pointing to her cell phone, perplexed. All of us three.
Yesterday I was at the dentist's reception, Keka sent me a drawing.
I was there.
I cried in the car, trying to assimilate it all.
Your mother did it again, she made me cry on the eve of the New York City Marathon.
Magical days here and there.
You are my life, and that's why I'm still here, telling you and my stories.
Next year I will be there, perhaps with you, and our tree will continue to bear fruit.
Miracles happen to those who believe in them.
We believe.
VALDIR SILVA
Valdir Silva 