Helena was 52 years old, and for anyone watching her walk by, it was hard to believe. She had the energy of a young woman, a contagious joy, and the lightness of someone who didn’t carry the weight of time or life’s hardships. This, of course, amazed her friends, especially since Helena didn’t hide the fact that she had been through four divorces — each more challenging than the last.
One Sunday afternoon, gathered with her longtime friends, the conversation inevitably turned to her youthful appearance and boundless energy.
“Helena, how do you do it? It’s impossible! I can barely get out of bed, and there you are, looking younger than our daughters!” Clara said, incredulous.
Helena smiled and poured another glass of wine
“There’s no magic secret, ladies. I just stopped living to please others. My divorces? They were painful, but they taught me to prioritize myself. I started taking care of my body, my mind, and most importantly, my soul. Every day, I wake up and ask myself: ‘What does Helena want today?’ And you know what I discovered? Life is too short not to love myself first.”
Her friends exchanged looks, some laughing, others deep in thought. But none of them could fully believe what they were hearing. It seemed too simple.
What Helena didn’t tell them was that every night, before going to bed, she looked in the mirror and whispered softly, “I am enough.” Perhaps that was what kept her so alive — the ability to believe that, even after everything, she was still the author of her own story.