As someone who has always been super close with the men in my family, I had a hard time understanding the “deep bond” between some women. As I grew up and dealt with some personal drama, I realized that in determined situations, only a woman can truly understand what you’re going through. It’s quite comforting that at the end of the day, I’m surrounded by amazing women who I can relate to in many situations.
To write this, I decided to interview a few of the strong women I know, who have been in difficult situations and relied on each other for support. Let’s dive deep!
Going through a heartbreak, sometimes all you need is a sign!
Clarissa was in a two-year relationship, and everything was going well when all of a sudden… boom! He broke up with her with “no explanation”. She had such a hard time trying to understand why and found comfort in crying in her car coming home from work.
One day, on one of her rides home, she stopped at a red sign. She was crying so hard, it caught the attention of the other car. When she looked to the side, two girls were smiling, making heart gestures, and sending her kisses, as if they were “I got you, girl, I’m here! You’re going to be okay!”. That touched her and it was something she never forgot. It’s crazy how even a simple gesture like that could make someone feel better, heard, and seen.
A place that empowers women, supports them, and offers a helping hand
Fabiana is a mom of two boys. When she got out of the corporate world, she felt that she wanted to do something more meaningful. She founded the non-profit organization “Associação Leopoldina”, located in São Paulo. The Association helps to empower women from all social classes to become the best version of themselves. It’s also a place they can go to when feeling they might need support in any area, whether it is from maternity, networking, how to deal with daily stuff, work, relationships, balancing being a mom and working, and many more.
When I was talking to her, she told me about a particular incident with someone who was going through an abusive relationship. She noticed that the woman had gained so much weight in a short period and knew something was wrong. She reached out to see what was going on and saw if she could help. The woman opened up to her about the deep struggles she was battling, and after a long journey and with the help of the organization and other women, she is now able to reorganize herself financially, and mentally and finally, file for divorce. This is just another example of many others that only women might understand.
Dealing with grief, losing someone you love
As many of us know, grieving is a challenging part of life and we all deal with it in different ways. With my mom Márcia and my aunt Luciana, the story is quite interesting. When their mother passed away in 2016, they found strength and comfort in each other.
As a daughter, I tried my best to help my mom, but I also knew she needed that time to grieve. I remember dealing with everything in a very calm way. I went to my grandmother’s house to help clean her stuff and organize the house. I was 15 at the time she passed. I remember feeling so relieved that my mom had my aunt, and that they had each other. I was so thankful for that and I’ll always be. I think it took a lot of weight off each other’s shoulders.
The finiteness of a loved one’s life is a painful process, which we know exists for everyone, but it is difficult and requires forced detachment. There are no choices. It just happens. And in this fragile moment, family support becomes essential to deal with this pain. Being able to share the weight of grief with my sister made living without our mother’s presence and joy more bearable. Together we were able to remember stories, and happy moments and express a lot of gratitude for our mother. Above all, we were able to cry, creating a space where the pain was expressed without judgment, without anyone saying: “Calm down, this will pass.” The pain does not go away, but it transforms over time and eases… My sister’s support was not only comforting and necessary but made me understand even more that our bond of love is deep and that in any situation that life throws at us, I know that I have someone by my side to share desires, worries, and also victories. I can only be grateful for having this fortress by my side.
– Luciana ( a.k.a. my amazing aunt! )
Hearing all those stories made me realize even more the importance of women, and the strength we have within ourselves. We should not only today but every day be grateful to be able to rely on each other, especially in situations like these.
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The article above was edited by Clarissa Palácio.
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