According to the Oxford English Dictionary, stress is a “pressure or worry caused by the problems in someone’s life.” But what is a problem for me may not be for others. However, some events in our lives affect and impact us more than others.
4 of the events that can cause the most stressful situations in a person’s life are:
– The loss of a loved one;
– Divorce;
– Moving (or radical change in general);
– Work situation.
These are situations that cause a rupture in our routine, our life takes a different direction. There is no way to erase these events from our memory, but there are solutions that help us move forward with our lives. We bring you 4 cases that reflect some stressful situations, and how KUBOO helped to soothe those moments.
Lídia (43 years old), Lisbon
Today is Sunday, meaning family lunch day at our parents’ house. A tradition since we the children left home. We’re all at the table, mum, dad and siblings, reliving old stories in that house that brings back memories of our childhood and youth, the smell of old wood, the ticking of the wall clock, the vintage tableware, the family photos on the wall… how time has passed!
And then comes the day that you never wanted to come, the day when it’s all over, when our parents are not there anymore. It hurts, it really does! There’s not a day in our lives we don’t think about them. But life has to go on. And what do we do about the things in the house, our inheritance? Our parents worked their whole lives, they took care of that house like a child, the antique furniture, the porcelain, the turntable and radio cabinet, the coins and stamps collections, etc. Some things deserve a second chance.
But now, we’re 3 heirs of the family, how do we divide things up? Fortunately, nobody wants any hassle. But if we sell or throw them away, then there is no going back. Then why not keep it at KUBOO? We take things out of the house, put them in a secure place, in our new kuboo, exemplarily clean just like our parents’ house always was, and over time we will decide what to do with all those items.
New beginnings take time.
Bruno (31 years old), Cascais
I always thought marriage was for life. We celebrate our relationship with all our friends and family and swear oaths of love. “I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life”. This vow is universal. But let’s be realistic: in Portugal, in 2018 alone there were 58.7 divorces per 100 marriages!
And if a marriage takes months to organize, a divorce can drag on for years! And if there are children involved, the separation becomes even more complicated. The (still) spouses must decide whether to divorce by mutual consent or contested divorce. Lawyers come in, family mediation is requested, you think about your future. In my case, we had no children. But we had a house. And furniture I brought in from my old apartment, appliances she brought in from hers, and all the things we bought when we were already married.
She kept the house, I didn’t care. But we had to come to a property settlement agreement. We made a list of owned property and joint property and came to an agreement. It was over. Months of no sleep, antidepressants, therapies… I wanted to move on with my life! I put all my stuff at KUBOO while I looked for a place to live. And when I found that place, I continued to leave my stuff in KUBOO. The only place right now where I feel my belongings are safe. And everytime I go there, I bring back a box with me, and little by little I reintroduce those items into my life.
New beginnings take time.
END OF PART I
