Sandra Brito Fornelos, Sociedade Portuguesa de Psicanálise At first, she thought it was all a misunderstanding, as she looked around in astonishment, trying to understand how they had arrived at this embarrassing moment, full of hidden meanings. As she tried to carefully assess the situation, her thoughts raced at a dizzying pace, colliding with one another. Despite her mature age, she continued to be guided by a naiveté and solid moral values that left her perplexed by the whole situation. The absurdity was deeply disturbing, and she felt somewhat lost, as if her code of conduct had expired and she could no longer read reality through her usual lens. Was he being honest when he said he wanted to leave? Had this years-long relationship of complicity, love, and passion truly ended? Wouldn't building a family and a shared life project be enough to keep them together? They always thought they would grow old together, surrounded by children and grandchildren, amid the sweet hustle and bustle of a large family, for which they had always lived. When did things start to go wrong? And how did they evolve without realizing it? It almost seemed like a dystopian reality, where nothing seems to make sense, logic changes every two days, and everything tastes like bitterness. She didn't have a plan B. She didn't know what to do with her life outside of family and two shared interests. She spent the last 30 years of her life caring for others and their interests, and she'd forgotten to care for herself. She no longer knew who she was without serving a greater good. The idea that she'd forgotten herself also seemed very strange. And sad. The confrontation with loneliness and the need to reinvent herself, after the abandonment she'd been condemned to, invaded her suddenly, leaving her breathless. She'd never considered the possibility of immense silence in her life, and that seemed very unsettling. This twist of fate, imposed on her so abruptly and surprisingly, could, after all, be a window for new achievements. There would be room to rebuild and devise a plan. Perhaps there was still time to reclaim everything she'd left behind, to once again find pleasure in small things, and to reconnect with herself and her tastes and preferences. Perhaps, after all, the end of a long marital relationship can be the beginning of a fruitful season of reconnection. It's interesting how life turns, and how adversity strengthens and enlightens. Who would have thought that a romantic breakup could be so enriching? Marta Russo, Sociedade Portuguesa de Psicanálise At first, I thought it was all a misunderstanding. I quickly realized that it wasn't. Things weren't looking good for me. I was still inside the tent when three men burst in and spoke a language I didn't know. Overcome by fear and prejudice, I tried to stay calm and tell myself that they wanted someone else, that I wasn't the one they were after. But when I was taken away by force, everything inside me collapsed. It was the panic of the unknown, the fear of my physical integrity, perhaps even of my life.
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