Brás often finds himself questioning how to get from one event or accomplishment to the next, struggling with the anxiety of the unknowns: “There was no scary mystery to [possibility] and it was right around the corner. Then Brás woke up and realized that, when you turn that corner, that future you have written and wished for is not always there waiting for you” (32). Rather than living in the moment, Brás finds himself worrying about the future. Despite reminders from Benedito, Jorge, and Ana to be present in his life, Brás is always in search of deeper meaning or a better understanding of what life should all be about.

His constant searching is in part due to his job as an obituary writer. The constant reminder of death, and his infinite need to make narratives out of the lives of others, forces Brás to constantly question his choices and what he wants his own life story to look like. Readers find evidence of this in the mini-obituaries at the end of most chapters, which typically highlight what he is most passionate about, or the ways in which he views himself or wants others to view him at that life stage.