To the Boy with the Umbrella:

**"It was a rain-soaked dusk in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro. I was walking alone, cradling my little Shih Tzu close to shield him from the relentless downpour. My jacket covered him as best it could, while I let the storm drench me entirely. My only thought was his safety, and I never imagined anyone might pause to help. And then, out of the rain, he appeared.

A 9-year-old boy, walking with his father, stopped beside me. His small hand stretched upward, holding an umbrella too small for two, and without hesitation, he shared it with me. He didn’t ask, didn’t hesitate—he simply stood there, unwavering against the wind, offering more than reprieve from the rain. In that quiet moment, he offered me a sense of care that I hadn’t felt in years, a reminder that even in solitude, one can still be seen.

That umbrella was more than a shelter—it became a symbol of quiet compassion, of standing steadfast through life’s storms. Inspired by this boy, I now hold an umbrella for the women whose stories flow through this book. Their burdens, like storms, weigh heavy on their shoulders, and the nails of unspoken pain pierce their hearts. I do not erase their grief, nor do I claim to be stronger than it. Instead, I stand with them, holding space for their stories to unfold, helping them pull the nails free, and offering assurance that storms, no matter how fierce, do pass.

This book is for you, and for all those who hold umbrellas in the storms of others’ lives. Not to shield them from pain, but to stand beside them until they find the strength to walk forward, carrying the hope of clearer skies."**