Some people lure you in, stealthily, almost without you being aware of it. They make you fall in love with the way they view and project life, the way they transform blurred moments that were key in the past into tangible present regardless of the passage of time and the obstacles that challenge us day in and day out; people whose self-effacing and poignant humor wakes you up from an endless slumber, people whose courage inspire without bragging about their battles.
Gina is one of those people. And I literally phrase it like this because Maria Climent's first book introduced me to a woman whom I feel like I know intimately, as if we were real friends. I empathize with her problems, she does the same with mine.
Gina is not yet thirty years old when she is diagnosed with a chronic illness and her life goes upside down. An unexpected tragedy that makes her ponder whether she devotes her time, which is more palpable than ever, to what she really would like to do. Not without enduring moments that end up being very bleak and distressing years, but without any trace of the sticky self-victimization we are so used to, Gina reaches the conclusion, both physical and mental, that she needs to be a mother.
Almost oneiric trips to Paris and Copenhagen, passing through impossible encounters that radically change the broad meaning of love, and hilarious psychotherapy sessions with a German woman who imposes respect and admiration in equal terms, "Gina" transports you to the essence of life in its purest form, to those inner nooks and crannies that we all have buried within and that we do not visit often enough because of the all-consuming routine and the stupid inertia with which we lead our lives.
Tender, vital, unexpectedly poetic and with a charming banter; smile at the future and let Gina remind you that the things that cannot be controlled, that the unfair uncertainties of life, can be confronted with love, perseverance and a dose of intelligent humor, which is more powerful than any treatment, including coaching ... Be brave and embrace yourself, embrace Gina, embrace life!
Review in original language (Catalan):
Hi ha persones que et van calant a poc a poc, quasi sense adonar-te’n. Que t’enamoren per la manera com tenen de veure i projectar la vida, de portar al present moments que van ser claus en passats desdibuixats pel pas del temps i pels obstacles que se’ns van presentant dia a dia, que t’esperonen amb el seu humor autocrític i punyent, i que et donen lliçons de coratge sense vanagloriar-se de les seves lluites.
La Gina és una d’aquestes persones. I ho dic així tal qual, perquè el llibre de la Maria Climent m’ha presentat una dona a la qual sento que conec íntimament, com si fóssim amigues. Comprenc i empatitzo amb el seus problemes, igual que ella fa amb els meus.
La Gina no té encara els trenta anys quan li diagnostiquen una malaltia crònica i la seva vida dóna un gir brutal que li fa qüestionar-se si dedica el seu temps, que és més finit que mai, a allò que realment vol fer. No sense passar per moments que acaben sent anys molt foscos i angoixants, això sí, sense victimismes apegalosos, acaba decidint que vol ser mare.
Des de viatges a París i a Copenhaguen, passant per retrobaments quasi impossibles que capgiren el significat d’estimar algú, o sessions de psicoteràpia divertidíssimes amb una alemanya que imposa tant respecte com admiració, “Gina” et transporta a l’essència de la vida en estat pur, a aquell raconet de nosaltres mateixos que tots tenim amagat i que no visitem prou sovint perquè queda enterrat sota la rutina i la inèrcia estúpida amb la qual encarrilem les nostres vides.
Tendra, vital, inesperadament poètica i amb una picardia encantadora, somriu-li al futur i deixa que la Gina et recordi que les coses que no es poden controlar, que les incerteses injustes de la vida, es poden combatre amb amor, perseverança i una dosi d’humor intel·ligent i empàtic, que és més potent que qualsevol tractament, coaching inclòs... Aprèn a abraçar-te, abraça la Gina, abraça la vida!