Coming Back to Life E-Book

Elilde Browning

• Herausgeber: Editora Appris
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 373

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

Coming back to life is a book consisting of five short stories about the trajectories of five women who had no aims in life and no hope for a better life, but who eventually overcame their hardships and started over a new life. All the stories are based on real facts and they present particular nuances. After reading the stories attentively, we realize that when these women are enduring unbearable suffering, they find a way out. As they are all very determined and courageous and have strong will power, they manage to overcome all the obstacles and difficulties in their life course and become very successful. Some of them achieve extraordinary success. All is not lost in life and we can fulfill anything as long as we want to. We should have confidence in our own abilities and we should never give up. These women are led by this principle mainly when they are facing a new reality which seems to be very far from and beyond their reach. It is worth reading these stories because they will encourage us to reflect upon life. If by chance we face similar situations in life, we will be inspired by these women to be resilient and struggle for a better life. Living is not easy and it will never be, but it is always worth trying because we may encounter some unexpected surprises along our path that might change our life course and make us happy.

Leseprobe

Coming Back to Life

Editora Appris Ltda.

1.ª Edição - Copyright© 2022 da autora

Direitos de Edição Reservados à Editora Appris Ltda.

Nenhuma parte desta obra poderá ser utilizada indevidamente, sem estar de acordo com a Lei nº 9.610/98. Se incorreções forem encontradas, serão de exclusiva responsabilidade de seus organizadores. Foi realizado o Depósito Legal na Fundação Biblioteca Nacional, de acordo com as Leis nos 10.994, de 14/12/2004, e 12.192, de 14/01/2010.

Catalogação na Fonte

Elaborado por: Josefina A. S. Guedes

Bibliotecária CRB 9/870

Browning, Elilde

B885c Coming back to life [recurso eletrônico] / Elilde Browning.

2022 1. ed. – Curitiba : Appris, 2022.

1 arquivo online : PDF.

ISBN 978-65-250-3088-3

1. Ficção brasileira. I. Título.

CDD – 869.3

Editora e Livraria Appris Ltda.

Av. Manoel Ribas, 2265 – Mercês

Curitiba/PR – CEP: 80810-002

Tel. (41) 3156 - 4731

www.editoraappris.com.br

Printed in Brazil

Impresso no Brasil

Elilde Browning

Coming Back to Life

ficha técnica

Editorial

Augusto V. de A. Coelho

Marli Caetano

Sara C. de Andrade Coelho

Comitê editorial

Andréa Barbosa Gouveia - UFPR

Edmeire C. Pereira - UFPR

Iraneide da Silva - UFC

Jacques de Lima Ferreira - UP

ASSESSORIA EDITORIAL

Manuella Marquetti

Revisão

Lúcia Ely Paiva

PRODUÇÃO EDITORIAL

Isabela Bastos

Diagramação

Yaidiris Torres

capa

Eneo Lage

comunicação

Carlos Eduardo Pereira

Débora Nazário

Karla Pipolo Olegário

Livrarias e Eventos

Estevão Misael

Gerência de finanças

Selma Maria Fernandes do Valle

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the staff at Appris Publisher, who contributed to making my book Coming Back to Life a reality.

Dedication

I wholeheartedly dedicate this book to my dear Italian-American friend Domingos Nobile, a notable man for his life trajectory, his business achievements, the fulfillment of his dreams and his unflagging enthusiasm for life.

May he discover that happiness is always beside him because he deserves to be happy!

May time be his best ally when he has to solve problems!

May hope walk alongside him to support him in his struggle for life!

May he never give up dreaming so that his life motivations are everlasting!

May his respect for everyone be a way of understanding all human beings in their essence!

May his dedication to his family and his affection for them always be acknowledged!

May life responsibilities be assumed and resolved according to his criteria!

May he always face life challenges courageously!

May new horizons always open up in his life trajectory!

May difficulties never prevent him from moving forward!

May he live great moments of glory and accomplishments throughout all his life!

May he always be able to overcome life setbacks!

May he find the life examples set by the characters in this book of use to him at some point in his life course!

Thank you, God, for existing!

I also dedicate this work to all the readers of my books entitled Paths of life, Chronicles of an Endless Time and of my articles published on social media networks, in the Noroeste News of Caraguatatuba, São Paulo-Brazil and in the magazine Businessmen.

In addition, I dedicate this book to my family, who makes me strong and courageous, and to all my true friends, who have awarded me their genuine friendship and unconditional support.

Elilde Browning

Preface

Have you ever wanted to start your life over? A lot of people have certainly hoped for a new beginning. Even if you have never shared this feeling, dear reader, you will be able to experience the doubts, anguish, anxieties, hopes and life dreams of those who chose this path. It is all here in the interesting pages of this great book of short stories. While reading it, you will dive into the life stories of five unusual women, who are intriguing, mysterious, passionate and really sincere. They are women who started their lives over with great care, faith, willpower and a lot of struggle. The author presents us with these fantastic stories, whose narrative thread runs through the trajectory of ordinary women who come up against everything that oppresses, suffocates, devalues and humiliates them, forcefully bending their legacies as if they were slaves to a destiny that cannot be changed. Traveling through these stories enables us to share the characters’ dreams, mixing our own emotions and feelings with theirs. We can also enjoy each bit of the narrative to delve into their inner self, their soul, their intimate thoughts and their wishes as if we were alongside weaving their web of emotions and making them larger and more complete.

The descriptions of the settings, the characters and their experiences take us on a breathtaking journey from the interior of Brazil to sophisticated places in Europe. We are allowed to travel along with them and very close to them, as if we were their guardian angels blessing their struggles. While reading such involving and fantastic stories, I was reminded of a beautiful song by an English band from the 1990s called Coming Back toLife. Its deeply emotional and perfect lyrics say at one point:

I took a heavenly ride through our silence,

I knew the moment had arrived,

For killing the past and coming back to life.

To be able to start over again, we mostly need silence, memories of our past and thoughtful reflection on our life course. Coming Back to Life leads us to such a great experience. While reading it, we are allowed to embody these women’s spirit, go through their ordeals and learn from them that it is wise to use our heart when making negotiations in life. As a consequence, our soul will be able to find a new and different path and walk along it bravely and eagerly. It teaches us to surrender to love and to the desire to be happy. If you, reader, wants to take part in such a journey, experiencing great feelings, desires and passions, you should dive into the pages of this book. And allow your heart to come back to life…

Marcelo Maia Cirino

June 18, 2020.

Presentation

Coming Back to Life consists of five short stories based on the life trajectories of five women I have met. They went through different phases in their life courses and it is worth reporting on their experiences so that people realize that when we reach a certain stage in life, we either change or die. There is no middle ground. Each woman presents a different story; however, all of them had the courage to face challenges, uplift their spirits and move on.

In order to entitle the short stories, I took into consideration the situations they had lived, the actions they had performed and the outcome they had achieved.

People tend to surrender to a dreadful life without being aware that their sufferings are invading their soul. They see them as natural and they have no prospect of improvement.

It should be noted that when we are in despair, a striking fact might arise and it will wake us up from a nightmare and make us aware that we must change. Every story presents a turning point, regardless of their main characters’ life courses.

Changes require determination, faith, courage and challenges. Armed with powerful weapons, these women used them masterfully and surprised everyone around them because they were able to take a new path of life.

Some of them wondered if it had been worth paying such a high price to reach the podium of success and happiness whereas others were confident that it had been worth it. After their turning point, they all experienced new emotions they had not expected to be able to live. Life sometimes brings us great moments of pleasure and happiness.

Dear reader, these stories present multiple possibilities of transcending into a world full of feelings where it will be possible to discover new ways to be happy.

Sumário

CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT LIVINGShort Story 01ISAURA OLIVEIRA - A bravewomanStory 02MICHELE NOGUEIRA - An Intuitive WomanShort Story 03ESMERALDA ARAÚJO - A life changeShort Story 04ELISABETE RIBEIRO - Starting life over at the age of sixtyStory 05LUCIANA CARDOSO - The rebirth of two livesConclusionATTACHMENT THOUGHTS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOKS PATHS OF LIFE AND CHRONICLES OF AN ENDLESS TIMETranslator and proof reader - Lúcia Ely Paiva

CONSIDERATIONSABOUT LIVING

That was a morning like so many others by the sea. The lonely sea broke its waves on the shore, ignoring whoever walked along it or admired it. The light blue sky was clear and the sun was rising. The lush green vegetation in the mountains seemed to be greener because it had been wetted by the rain the night before and now the early morning sunshine reflected on the small drops on the leaves, casting bright glows over them. Nature is splendid, it always surprises us!

I sat down comfortably on the beach and started to reflect upon life: we can live for a long time without realizing that life could have been different, exciting and pleasurable. But it is never late to start it over. After twenty years, I managed to get out of this nightmare and open the door to the world. I started to get together with people and have good or bad experiences coming from the outside world. The worst death takes place when our soul is indifferent to everything that surrounds us.

Life is a constant challenge. Being at its mercy fills our souls with courage. We live in this world and we have to take part in it, relate to people around us. If we are detached from the world, we miss the privilege of living new experiences. I understand that not all of them are positive and enjoyable; therefore, we must be attentive. But life is like this: every individual expresses their inner self, their passions, disenchantment, doubts, sorrows, joys and such a blend of feelings is what makes living an enchanting experience.

We have different skills: some of us can paint watercolors or are good at the ancient art of mosaic whereas others write books, poetry or songs. Some dedicate their lives to helping the needy whereas others write songs and sing them conveying messages of encouragement to those who are depressed in order to cheer up their souls. We are all helpful to each other regardless of our jobs or skills. Every professional within their aptitudes regards individuals and the world differently, but they all together, homogenously condensed, bring humanity everything we need to make this world magnificent.

One interesting aspect of living that should be highlighted is that our outlook and perspective on life and our attitude towards it depend on all the experiences, knowledge, expectations we have gained throughout our life course. One day while I was walking down an avenue in Paris along with an architect and a housewife, we talked about trivial matters. The architect, my friend Francesco Domenico, was praising the beauty of the architectural features of the buildings around us when suddenly my friend Júlia Mascarenhas, a housewife, said, “If I lived in a place like this, I certainly wouldn’t need to get out of my house because I’d be able to see everything that’s going on around me from the window.” It was a simplistic view, but it was in agreement with her way of thinking.

Diversity is a key factor that makes the world interesting and creative. Imagine how boring and monotonous it would be if everyone looked alike and behaved in the same way. Its beauty lies on the wide array of differences in thinking, acting and solving problems spread all over it.

I turn my thoughts to a great friend of mine called Alberto Cardoso, a psychiatrist. He dedicates his life to his profession and he seeks to diagnose the disorders that affect his patients’ behaviors and lead them to live in their own world. He is introspective, restrained when he speaks and endowed with heartfelt sensitivity. He is able to unravel the human mind in a surprising way. He is very dedicated to his profession, constantly studying, attending conferences and upgrading his know-how. As he is exposed to a lot of nuances of different behaviors every day, he is involved in indecipherable situations, and sometimes he does not bother to know when these emotions are real or imaginary.

One day, he said to me, “The human mind is a labyrinth of surprises. When we think we’ve found a way out, we might get lost and make things even more confusing. And when the mind is connected to feelings, our feelings transcend our rational thinking, making it difficult to reach an accurate diagnosis. The way we see and feel the world is unique and non-transferable. Like our fingerprints, each of us has their own pattern.”

Although there are billions of people living all over the world, we are individuals with particular characteristics. We have our own stamp even if we might share some similarities with others. In addition, we have our own way of being and acting. Even if we have lived with someone for a long time, we may be surprised by attitudes that we have never thought would happen. People may change their behavior depending on a series of physical, emotional, psychological or environmental factors.

As adults, we are the result of an existence that started in our mother’s womb. The traumas and frustrations that we experience at different stages of life are sometimes hidden in compartments of our brain and they might eventually arise causing us conflicts and affecting our thoughts.

As the Greek philosopher Socrates once said, “Know yourself!” Do we really know ourselves? Our attitudes as well as the way we behave in some situations surprise not only us but also the ones who are next to us. Raising awareness of who we really are in our inner self and accepting it is not an easy task. A lot of people tend to react impulsively in some circumstances, deeply hurting their peers’ feelings without an apology or beyond remedy.

Every human being should follow the writings of their own life in order not to lose their way. They should not abandon their propositions even if they are not sure of their successful outcome. I acknowledge that such a strict behavior is not always possible because we are influenced or persuaded by other people and this external interference raises questions and doubts in our mind. We are not an island in this world and in one way or another we assimilate everything that happens around us. Moreover, as we are extremely curious, we become easy preys and our curiosity leads us to get involved in situations that are not in our script.

Having a strong character and being aware of what we want help us walk along our life paths without being dazzled by situations which are apparently real despite being actually fictitious and doubtful.

Dreams are necessary and imperative because without them life lacks meaning and goals. Setting a target for our life makes us hopeful. In my book Chronicles of an Endless Time I wrote, “The world belongs to those who dream, struggle and persevere. Victory will inevitably come because it walks alongside special people’s lives and they will be applauded at the end of their journey. Interestingly, it knows who it should follow. Wisdom is indisputable.”

One afternoon my son phoned me and during our conversation, he asked me about my health. I replied, “When we have dreams and projects to fulfill, health is on standby, expecting to be happy too.”

I remember receiving an awful message from an acquaintance who had heard that I had written a book. It said, “Never will you be able to have your book published. Besides being very expensive, it is very difficult to enter the exclusive world of literature.” After some months, when the book came out, I sent him a copy with a dedication saying, “When dreams come true, happiness invades our soul and remains there forever.”

It was once said, “Have great dreams so you won’t lose sight of them. Dream and visualize them being fulfilled. Experience each step enthusiastically, being confident that they will eventually come true. Run away from the distressing word fear because it frightens us and diverts us from the targets we want to meet. Send it far away where it will never be found.”

Acknowledged as a remarkable thinker and one of the most interesting men in the 20th century, Julius Évola once wrote, “The traditional woman, the absolute woman, the one who did not live for herself, who dedicated her life to others with simplicity and purity, felt fulfilled, she belonged to herself. Displaying genuine heroism, she was considered to be superior to ordinary man. However, the modern woman, focusing on herself, was destroyed.”

Short Story 01

ISAURA OLIVEIRA

A bravewoman

Those who saw that stunning confident woman, aware of her sixty years of age, radiating happiness while she was attending a meeting with some other powerful businesswomen could never imagine the problems and hardships she had gone through years before. Her name was Isaura Medeiros, but she was called Isa by her close friends.

Born into a traditional family, she was brought up to be a wife and a mother who would welcome all the children God might send her. Fortunately, she had only three children. It was enough to affect her figure because she had put on a lot of weight. She displayed located excess fat, stretch marks, muscular flaccidness and other physical changes that seemed to be normal for her.

She did not notice those changes because she was so involved in living for her family and a few friends that she unconsciously accepted them all naturally. She did not even know that there were other choices in life. She was restricted to that narrow world, without spotting another reality.

Day after day, she dedicated her life to her beloved family, forgetting her own existence. If she had got free from such extremely rigid dedication, she would have been able to see the world from another perspective and to experience life more intensely.

Her husband, Osvaldo Medeiros, was a successful professional in information technology. He owed his success mainly to his wife’s support and dedication. She looked after his clothes carefully so that he always looked well groomed, tended to his healthy meals served precisely at the right time, took care of their house, keeping it very neat and pleasant, and cared for their children, meeting all their needs. Their life went by peacefully and smoothly without any hassle.

She had never been concerned about how much her husband earned or about paying bills. In her view, it was traditionally the husband’s responsibility as he was considered the family breadwinner.

She used to meet her partner’s sexual needs without complaining, even on those days when sex was terrible for her. Being obedient and submissive was one more duty that she performed without complaining. People get used to everyday routine and they do not realize that they have their back turned on the world. Sex is beneficial and pleasurable to people when there is a symbiosis of feeling and thinking between them. Out of this context, it is torture and violence.

While time passed, their children, Julia, Alfredo and Susana grew up peacefully in that apparently perfect home.

Regardless of how she felt or what she wanted to do, she got up at six o’clock every morning to start her daily chores. She looked after her family members until they went to sleep at eleven p.m. When one of them got sick, she would be up until very late at night. She was their guardian angel. However, when she got sick, the world seemed to collapse. Her husband and her children felt lost and confused because they could not have what they wanted or needed immediately at hand. They could rely on her - their mainstay – to meet their needs as precisely as a clock.

Years went by and time followed its path obliviously to everything else. Nobody has the right to stop time. It does not care about our existence. Aware of its power, it goes by confidently. Under no circumstances, does it give any feedback. It is superior, proud and detached from any mundane feelings. However, we must be attentive to every second passing. Otherwise, we are likely to miss the opportunities they are bringing along to us. Time is deaf to our complaints or whining. It is inflexible.

Her children grew up, studied and got a university degree, got married and left home. Julia got a degree in architecture and became a successful professional. She got married to Clodoaldo Assunção and they moved to California in the United States because he worked for a multinational company there. Alfredo was a geriatrician and he got married to a Japanese girl called Akemi Kimura. They had met at the medicine school and after their marriage they went to live in Japan. Susana got married to Juvenal de Almeida and she was a housewife. Her husband was a very authoritarian and strict man with very rigid principles and he was the owner of a shoe manufacturing business in Rio Grande do Sul.

After her children left home, Isa did not have to undertake as many tasks or household chores as she used to. She started to have a lot of free time. She looked for something to fill in that void in her life. However, she lacked creativity and she was not able to come up with something new to do because, as she had lived a boring routine for many years, she had been deprived of any novelties. She lived in an automated way without any chance of changes.

Absorbed in his professional commitments, her husband was usually away from home and Isaura’s days were usually very long and extremely distressing. As a consequence, she treated herself to food. She cooked absolutely delicious meals to delight not only her husband’s refined palate but also hers. After a while, she was obese and without any free will.

She missed her children a lot and she felt heartbroken. Sometimes she asked herself regretfully, “Why did my children grow up and take different paths?” When she looked back on her past life, she did not realize that she had lived completely alienated from the world.

She gave herself up to that suffering in such a way that she could not see changes either in the short or long term. While her life was unfolding, she was absolutely oblivious to everything around her. She was unable to think clearly and draw conclusions about her husband’s behavior at that time. He did not talk to her any more or looked for her to have sex. She did not care much about his detachment and started feeling comfortable in that situation. As she was very fat and heavy, she was aware that she did not look attractive.

One day, she found a note in her husband’s jacket pocket which said, “Dear, I’m waiting for you at the usual place. Don’t be late please! I’m feeling aroused. Alzira.” She read it over and over and refused to believe it was true. It could not be true! She did not want to believe in those dreadful words. She knelt down on the cold floor, as cold as her heart, and feeling completely shocked, she could not take an action. Her bulging eyes would hold the whole universe, her distressed heart would hold all the sadness in the world and her bewildered mind would hold utterly deadly despair.

After some time, totally absorbed in her suffering and not knowing what attitude to take, she broke into tears in order to release all the poison she had swallowed. She could not come up with a solution because throughout her life her mind had not been used to thinking. She was an alienated woman totally detached from the world that surrounded her.

In life we sometimes have to go through a violent shock to wake up from a nightmare. In her case it had lasted over forty years. She started to realize how useless her life had been; however, she took pride in her children’s upbringing because they had turned out to be fulfilled people and useful citizens to society. She was confident that she had brought them up with a lot of love and happiness and made them prepared to face the world. That was her greatest achievement in life.

Still bewildered, she began to think up a solution to such a serious problem. She decided to ignore the words on that note. This was definitely an intelligent and sensible attitude. If she had tried to talk to her husband about what she had found out, they would have got into an argument which she would not have won because she would not have been able to come up with convincing ideas to support her view. As the days went by, she did not manage to find a remedy for her suffering.

When she stopped crying because she had no more tears, she walked to her bedroom and, looking at herself in a large mirror, she took off all her clothes. After checking the contours of her body thoroughly and critically, she noticed the irreversible harm time had inflicted on her body. She did not know anything about the woman her husband was having an affair with, such as her age, her job or her appearance. But she was sure that her husband’s lover was definitely much more beautiful and attractive than her because nobody would make six of one and half a dozen of another, especially men who need female attractiveness to be real males.

She continued her life as if she knew nothing about her husband’s affair and she began to demand a reversal of attitude from herself, silently hatching a clever plot. Sometimes we have to make a decision regardless of when or how it will turn into an action. Changes will take place whenever we are determined to pursue them and believe that everything will work out.

First, she decided to see a doctor to lose weight. She wanted to get rid of all the kilos she had put on for years on end. After undergoing a medical check-up, the test results were worrying and showed that she was not in good health. She had to be determined and stick strictly to the doctor’s guidance. It is always difficult to start a new journey because it demands too much effort. But it did not discourage her. As she had drive and energy, she would certainly overcome all the challenges that would come up along her journey to achieve her target.

Female vanity screamed so loud that it was heard all over the world. She was aware that she had to change her attitude towards life and find motivation to continue living with great dignity. She had to restore her self-esteem. After realizing that she had revolved her life around her husband all those years whereas he had parted from her and followed a different path, she felt so distressed and bewildered that she could not think clearly. She wondered what direction she should take.

She started to go to a beauty parlor regularly and pay for essential beauty care and treatments. She met women who faced or had faced the same problem as her. It encouraged her to move on. And she dreamed - now she was able to dream again - about the day she would look at her naked body in that mirror and she would feel like another woman.

She continued looking after her husband and her house as carefully as she used to do before. He should not find out that she had come across that note because she would need money for a makeover to become another woman and he was the only person she could rely on for that. One day, while she was at the beauty parlor, she heard one of her new friends say, “When men feel guilty, they will pay good money for their wife’s needs.” Little by little, she learned great life lessons from her new friends.

After some time she started noticing the positive effects she aimed at on her appearance. After she had lost twenty kilos, she did not feel depressed anymore and she was healthy and energetic.

One day her husband noticed changes in her figure and in her mindset and he asked her what was going on. She simply blamed the doctor, claiming that after the checkups, he suggested that she should lose weight. Without further details, she ended that conversation. She should not continue talking about it because she was the only one interested in the outcome of that makeover process. It was her feminine intuition which was emerging and leading her to reach sensible solutions.

After losing a lot of weight, she looked better, but she still had some extra skin left, which needed to be removed. She was advised by her doctor to undergo a surgery to improve the shape of her figure. One day she decided to tell her husband about her doctor’s advice. As he heard her mention the word surgery, he asked, “Why do you need a surgery? You look great!” Because of his reaction, she realized she should not insist on that matter at that moment and she decided to postpone the conversation for another occasion. But she was worried about how she could afford the surgery. As she never lost hope, she started to figure out how she would get the money for that purpose. She was confident that after the surgery she would feel as pleased with her body as she used to when she was young.

During an appointment with her doctor, she courageously told him about her life and asked him for help to undergo the surgery. Her cry of anguish moved him. Taking pity on her, he wrote a report stating the need for the operation. After she received that document, she was confident that she would succeed in persuading her husband. In order to reach a solution, she cooked a very delicious meal for him that night. As she had lived with him for over forty years, she knew all his weaknesses thoroughly and he was extremely vulnerable to good food.

After finishing dinner and still having in their mouths the taste of the delicious Irish apple pie topped with chocolate sauce they had eaten for dessert, she invited him to sit in the living room because she had something important to talk to him about. To make the atmosphere cozier, she played her husband’s favorite piece of music, the one he liked to listen to when he was truly happy. Everything was perfect.

She was visibly anxious and he could sense her anxiety. He had no idea what she would like to talk to him about that night. His mind was spinning around different guesses and doubts and he wondered whether she would bring up the subject of his love affair with Alzira into the conversation. He started thinking up good reasons and making up convincing excuses to get rid of that uncomfortable situation.

He was relieved when she handed him the report the doctor had written. He looked at the page, tried to read the words but he could not understand what was written. His soul was detached from reality, nestled in his lover’s arms, absolutely elated in that dream. He made a great effort to stop thinking about Alzira and to focus on the document. After deciphering that code, he realized it was a medical report.

He wasted no time talking over the kind of surgery she had to undergo or discussing whether the doctor was right or not. That was not important. He only considered the fact that while his wife was receiving such treatment, he would have more time to spend with his lover and enjoy every moment they were together. That was what mattered to him.

People’s behavior changes throughout life. Ideally, we should respect the ones who have contributed to our well-being for years on end and support them when they are about to make changes in their lives. Unfortunately, this is not what happens in real life when feelings overcome reason. It is impossible to think sensibly when we are experiencing moments of great pleasure with a person we identify with. We achieve sheer happiness while we are deprived of common sense. Although we are going through an unreal situation, which might sometimes be considered ridiculous, we are unaware of that because we cannot think sensibly.

He came straight to the point and asked her bluntly how much money she would need for her treatment. Although she was startled by his insensitiveness, she replied, “I believe that R$30,000 will be enough to cover all the expenses.” Without making any further comments, he went to his desk, promptly made out a check and handed it over to her.

Her dreams started to come true. Now she could afford to have a physical makeover and as a consequence she would be able to change her life. It was the beginning of a long journey along which she would turn into another woman who would be able to think, devise plans and live in a different way.

The surgery was successful and after paying for all the expenses, she still had half the amount of money left. Her mind was buzzing around plans she was starting to envisage as if they actually were happening. According to Jung, “Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.”

Talita de Almeida and Isaura Medeiros shared the same dreams and joined forces to become independent and gain a place in the world, where the sun rises every day. They were eager to make their dreams come true. They would not be discouraged by the difficulties they might encounter along their path. Holding hands, they began to walk along the same path with a lot of courage and determination, sharing the same thoughts and looking in the same direction. It did not matter how long it would take them to fulfill their dreams. The important thing was to meet their target and be successful.

They first met at the beauty parlor and both had similar family problems. They got together every day to outline plans for their future business. Her partner had some experience in catering whereas she had enough money to set up a business. They were two determined women trying to overcome their constraints and experience a different life.

They exchanged confidences about their husbands and they both acknowledged that men had the right to change their partners once the flame of passion for their wives had turned into ashes. They reflected on who was to blame for that situation but they could not find a culprit. They sometimes laughed at themselves and after resigning themselves to that situation, they no longer suffered for having been left by their husbands. They had targets to meet and because of that they were able to imagine a new life. They felt that their past was gradually being left behind. They were confident that one day it would be totally forgotten and their anguish would fade away.

Mr. Osvaldo Medeiros dedicated his time to his company and his lover. From time to time he made up excuses about going on some business trips and while he was away from home, Isa had a lot of time to focus on her project.

Isa and Talita started to think about opening a store. However, they could not set it up at Isa’s house because, as she lived in a closed condominium, businesses were not allowed there. But as Talita lived on a busy street and there were no legal restrictions on trading, they decided to start it at her house. After considering several possibilities, they opted for catering. Both of them were very good and skilled at cooking because they had dedicated their lives to preparing delicious meals for their families and friends.

After taking their recipes out of the drawers, they chose the ones that would certainly delight their future customers’ palate.

Talita was more knowledgeable about the financial aspects of a business whereas Isa was more skilled at cooking and enhancing the presentation of the dishes. She imagined people’s smiling face while they were eating the food she had prepared.

They would initially start with an Irish apple pie that Isa considered as the greatest and best dessert she had made for years. When it was served with ice cream or pure cocoa chocolate sauce that she herself made, it was an unforgettable gastronomic experience. She was confident that it would not take long for their venture to be successful.

The money left from her operation was enough to get her started and fulfill her dream. Talita also had some savings. She got some money after she divorced her husband, who had left her for a much younger woman.

By working in partnership, they managed to achieve their goals and forget those bygone days. They dreamed about a new horizon and they aimed to be independent and masters of their own lives. Led by their eagerness, they moved on feeling confident that they would meet their target. When we long for something with faith and determination, we will certainly achieve it because the universe conspires in our favor. Our daily tasks distract us from our pains and by concentrating on them, we forget all our problems. If we find satisfaction in our job, our life will be fulfilled.

All of us have potential to start our lives over within our possibilities and knowledge. We can all do something in life. We can all perform jobs within our abilities. If they are carried out daily, they are improved gradually until they are perfect. When we want something, we must focus on it. According to a saying, “Where there is a will, there is a way.”

Talita’s living room was converted into a reception room where they could attend to their customers and her kitchen was expanded to meet their future needs. They bought industrial stoves, refrigerators and gadgets to make their work easier.

After making a list of everything they would need to set out on work, they went shopping at the local supermarket. As soon as they got in, Isa was startled because she saw her husband doing the shopping with Alzira. She tried to hide her discomfort, pretending she had not noticed he was accompanied by a woman. She greeted him confidently, showing that she was now a different woman who did not live in his shadow any more. On the other hand, his face went pale showing his guilt and embarrassment. He introduced Alzira as being his mother’s friend. Isaura greeted her politely and left without introducing Talita.

Her heart began to beat faster, but she soon got over it. There is a big difference between knowing and seeing. Despite being over fifty years old, she felt like another woman after losing weight and undergoing the reconstructive surgery. Yet she could not compete with younger women. Men have their own preferences. Some like younger women whereas others prefer experienced ones. There is no accounting for taste. After long conversations, she and her friends concluded that every man seeks in a woman their mother, who looked after them, caressed them and protected them.

While they were walking away, the two friends laughed heartily as they remembered his face, which expressed his guilt and embarrassment.

After finishing doing the shopping, Isa drove to Talita’s house, where the groceries were left, and then she went home. While the sun was setting and the sky was getting dark, Isaura and Osvaldo Medeiros would have to face each other after the incident at the supermarket. She was in the kitchen cooking dinner when he came close to her and told her that he would like to talk to her. As she was no longer the obedient and submissive woman she used to be, she shrugged her shoulders and, with her nose in the air, she replied boldly that they could talk after dinner.

He was unexpectedly surprised and shocked by her confident attitude and without saying a word, he walked away waiting anxiously for what would happen that night. As he was leaving, his eyes fell on her and he realized that there was something different in her appearance and attitude. They had not talked or slept in the same bedroom for a long time. Although they lived under the same roof, they lived apart without sharing any interests or thoughts. They were following two parallel paths that would never join. And they were aware of that.

They spent the minutes before dinner thinking about the content of the conversation they would have soon. Whereas he was feeling guilty, she was pleased with her attitude and relieved because she had found a new path in her life. When we want time to go by fast, it follows its own pace without caring about the events.

Sitting across from each other at the table, they looked at the food as if it had come from another planet. They seemed to have lost their appetite or they probably feared to have indigestion after the meal. They looked at each other and neither of them wanted to be the first to start the conversation. They had both run out of words and arguments because they were emotionally overwhelmed.

We should face changes in life naturally. Although sometimes we have no more hope of experiencing anything new, we might be surprised by subtle moves that will eventually change our life course. When they first met forty years before, they were certainly completely different people from what they were at that phase in terms of feelings, thoughts and behavior. If we are prepared for new challenges, we will be privileged to experience new emotions and become stronger to face life. It is acknowledged that the unknown brings us distrust and fear. But it is worth challenging it and moving on because there might be pleasant surprises awaiting us in the future.

Feeling very embarrassed, Mr. Osvaldo Medeiros broke the uneasy silence and asked,

“What were you buying at the supermarket? I’ve always done the shopping. It’s my chore.”

“Nothing. I was just keeping my friend company.”

“Who’s that friend of yours? What’s her name? Where did you meet her?”

“Somewhere men don’t go.”

“What place is it?”

She refused to answer. Although he insisted, she remained silent for a while.

But she suddenly asked him bluntly,

“Who was the young woman that was with you at the supermarket?”

“She’s a friend of my mother’s. Her name’s Alzira.”

When she heard that name, Isaura immediately remembered the note she had found inside his pocket. Looking into his eyes defiantly, she quoted the message she had read in an ironic voice, “Dear, I’m waiting for you at the usual place. Don’t be late please! I’m feeling aroused. Alzira.”

His eyes bulged and he went extremely pale as if all the blood in his body had drained out. He got such a fright that he almost fainted. Both of them were speechless and they remained quiet for a long time. Suddenly, she resumed the conversation confidently.

“It doesn’t matter how long you’ve known her, who she is, what she does or where she lives. Nothing else’s important. What really matters now is that we’re going to get divorced. I don’t know how long I’ve been living with a man whose thoughts and feelings belong to another woman. You’ve been just physically present in this house, but spiritually detached from our life together. I understand that after living together for many years and facing everyday routine, couples tend to drift apart. Not only did it happen to us but it also happens to many other couples all over the world every day. It is a normal situation and it must be faced realistically.”

After a brief pause, she went on speaking,

“I’m not a product that you bought somewhere. We agreed to sign a contract which can be terminated at any time. No woman is forced to live by the side of a man who doesn’t love her anymore and who doesn’t treat her with due respect. There are laws that protect us.”

Her words had a great impact on Mr. Osvaldo Medeiros. He was utterly astounded at listening to the arguments presented by a woman he considered to be ignorant and submissive. He wondered where she had learned all that. He was reluctant to acknowledge that what he had just heard was actually true.