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Tudo acaba, leitor; e um velho truismo, a que se pode acrescentar que nem tudo o que dura muito tempo. Esta segunda parte nao acha crentes faceis, ao contrario, a ideia de que um castelo de vento dura mais que o mesmo vento de que e feito, dificilmente se despegara da cabeca, e e bom que seja assim, para que se nao perca o costume daquelas construcoes quase eternas.

Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis#9

CreationEffortImpermanenceLegacy

About this quote

What does it mean?
Everything ends, reader; a old truism, but not everything lasts long. The idea that a wind‑castle outlasts the wind itself is unlikely, yet it's good that we don't lose the habit of building almost eternal structures.
In plain terms
All things end, and the notion that fragile creations outlast their forces is doubtful, but keeping the habit of building lasting works is valuable.
What can you take from it?
Value the effort of creating enduring works, even if they’re fragile.

Where it applies

  • artistic projects
  • architectural design

Putting it to work

  • focus on lasting impact
  • embrace the process of building

Questions to consider

  • When is it worth building something that may not endure?
  • How do we balance effort with realistic expectations?

Another view

The metaphor may romanticize futile effort.

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