English Mental health and gender-based violence English version | Page 53

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The Butterfly Woman . Her good life . ( continued )
SAID ALOUD
Aim . To begin the story of the Butterfly Woman , when life was good .
The Trainer draws Figure 2 , The Butterfly Woman in the beginning , capable and in good health , and starts the story .
Once upon a time , a Butterfly Woman lived in a small village surrounded by green hills . She loved to sit by the river that ran nearby . She lived in a solid house with her children and her man . They had good and not so good neighbours and slept in peace at night and woke the next morning with a thankful heart . The country was calm and people had enough to eat and drink .
PART II : THE TRAINING
The Woman had a good heart and a strong body . Her feet walked her long distances and she had clever hands . She often sang , and you could see her washing clothes in the river , walking with a swing to her hips , or jiggling her children . Her man was a good person . She felt satisfied and proud . She trusted her life and the people around her , most of the time . When she was sorry for something she would cry a little and tell herself that it would get better . She wanted to become a wise woman , to whom other people could turn for advice in difficult times .
The days went on . In her right wing were all the good memories of her life – like the green hillside , the sound of the river she loved , and the fragrance of her favourite flowers . Thinking of the trees and animals made her feel calm . Looking at the house made her feel safe . Memories of her children , growing up year by year , made her proud . She remembered the smile of her mother and the collared dress that a friend had given her . She had sad memories too , of saying goodbye to her friend when she moved to another part of the country , of her mother ’ s sickness and death . All these memories were stored in her wing . They made her feel strong enough to think and feel and live her life .
In her left wing , she kept her dreams about the future and some worries too , though they weren ’ t too big to handle . Sometimes she dreamed of a new dress , and some good shoes to keep the rain out . But her strongest dream was for her children ’ s education . Every month she tried to save some money for their education . She kept all her dreams , worries , plans and longings in this wing . They made her feel alive and that she had enough control over her life . Every morning she took a deep breath when she woke up , ready to start a new day . Every night , before going to sleep , she rested her face for a moment in the palms of her hands , praying and giving thanks for her good life .