The storm that crossed – and continues to cross – Portugal left marks that go far beyond the visible damage. There are material losses, yes, and there are also emotional losses: the feeling of vulnerability, the fear that settles in the body, the uncertainty that sticks to the days. Situations like this can be potentially traumatic, because they shake the perception of security and predictability, exposing the fragility of what we so often take for granted.
At these times, a support network becomes essential. We need to feel that we are not alone and that there are hands that hold ours when the ground seems to give way. Emotional support made up of presence, listening, availability – is as important as practical support.
Solidarity is not an abstract concept, it is a force that takes shape in concrete gestures, in looks that say “I am here”, in neighbors who, suddenly, become family.
It’s easy to fall into the temptation of sitting on the couch, lamenting what was lost, looking at the television as if the screen could give back what has disappeared. But passivity doesn’t heal, it doesn’t rebuild, it doesn’t transform. It is necessary to act. It is necessary to collaborate. Each person has a role, no matter how small it may seem. Reconstruction – emotional and material – takes place in community, with each person contributing what they have: time, arms, words, food, presence.
Altruism often emerges in the most difficult moments. And he is the one who reminds us that, despite the storm, there is always a place where we can anchor: the other. The ability to care and let ourselves be cared for is what allows us to go through trauma without becoming trapped in it.
Portugal has repeatedly shown that it knows how to unite when it matters. Now, once again, we see a country that extends its hand, that does not turn away, that stands up to help. The true strength of a community is revealed when each person chooses not to stand still, but to actively participate in the reconstruction that everyone deserves and that everyone needs.
Because rebuilding is always a collective verb, I would like to express my sincere thanks to everyone who, in some way, collaborates in this process in which, together, we rise again.
Clinical and forensic psychologist, family and couples therapist
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