Dear Paulo,

This is the first anniversary of my coming to Trip, and I would like to tell you about the pleasure it has been to write for you and your readers.
I would like to thank you and all those who gave me any special feedback, telling me they read, enjoyed, agreed, disagreed. I felt connected and regarded in a very special way. One way to express my gratitude is, instead of writing about any subject that comes to mind, to meet a frequent request of writing about the "get married vs. not to get married", "have children vs. not to have children" dilemma, a topic I wouldn't consider addressing here.

Some of these requests were made at the wedding of my friend Ciro to my friend Ana Augusta. You know them: Ciro, Guima's designer and art director, and Ana, Roberto Linsker's partner at Terra Virgem. I was the best man and they asked me to write a speech to be read during the ceremony. Despite being very personal, the text was successful among all, not only the newlyweds, and people asked for copies and suggested submission for publication in Trip. I must say that I found the enthusiasm and the request strange. Perhaps because, having been married for 25 years, the theme is no news to me. Anyway, I showed it to some loyal Trip readers who can be very critical whenever we stray from the magazine's editorial line and they were unanimous in the opinion that it should be published. So there it is. I hope you agree or that, at least, the text may be inspiring for your and Jessica's plans. Hopefully.

"Ciro and Ana,

What can a friend who has been married for 27 years say to friends who are getting married? I might repeat my grandmother's words to me at the time of my wedding: those who think don't get married, those who get married don't think. That's it: marriage is not a rational decision. The decision to marry is about love. This is not horny-love, - which is necessary and vital. Nor is it affection-love - which is also necessary and vital. What I mean is amorous attraction, the most important law in the Universe, which unites us above and beyond sex, reason and emotion. This is a force, an attraction, that, when obeyed, gives one the feeling that the Universe gives thanks and evolves. I feels like we are complying with an agreement when we might choose not to. Hence the gratitude. It is as if we used our freedom of choice to agree with the law, rather than disagree.

Freedom to agree!

At this time of agreement with the law of love, one relaxes, acquiesces, unites, gets married. It seems that, by getting married, we join ends, weaving a web of energy, a web of love ties that bear the evolution of both ourselves and our relationships. Maybe this is why, when somebody gets married, we all feel less alone. And celebrate. This is the birth of one more place where one can find love weaving that web that supports us all. I think that's about it, Ciro and Ana. I see your marriage as a good one. A loving marriage, which makes the entire world happy. May you all cultivate sex, affection, reason and the purpose of your union. May you have children and may they inherit uyour evolution. May we, friends and relatives, in our life together, contribute to and take advantage of it.
May we all be generous and understanding regarding our imperfections. May we be sure that, of a full mind, we would all agree with the Maker's plan, a plan of pure love, in which people do not get married because they think, but because they love.

In sum, dear friends, may you be happy and may this be God's will.

With the love and care of your friend Ricardo on behalf of all of Ciro's and Ana's friends.
São Paulo, winter of 1998."