There are women who grew up, fell in love, got married, had children, aged, and yet did not truly live… In Vasiliki
Vasiliki, born in 1953, is a real person, living in Thessaloniki, and I have known her for as long as I can remember. To me, she was one of the most beautiful Greek women, not only of her time but even today. Her cinematic beauty was near perfection, and I remember every time I saw her, I was left speechless with admiration. During the 1970s, she was a tall, slender, modern girl with model-like proportions that did not resemble a typical Greek girl. She was so impressive that wherever she passed, heads turned. And it wasn’t just her perfect body proportions and her lovely face; she dressed in the latest fashion and wore the most modern and avant-garde styles. She was a precursor to the emancipation of Greek women decades later. If she had entered beauty contests, she would surely have won a title, or if she pursued a career as a model or actress, she would have reached great heights. However, she was unaware of the power her external appearance held; instead, she believed she was just a charming girl and was probably surprised that she drew so much attention.
The reason I decided to write about her life was a kind of vindication for everything she went through, for the opportunities she missed. Because Vasiliki didn’t dare to stand up for herself when she should have; deep down, she was shy, timid in situations that required courage, strength, and resilience. But she had no help from anyone, and living in a village where minds were closed made things even harder. I firmly believe that if she had stepped forward early on and confidently supported her desires, her life path would have been very different, and she wouldn’t be carrying a heavy burden—a very serious health issue—that, along with financial problems, has been weighing on her for many years. However, because she has two admirable sons and grandchildren behind her, she considers herself fortunate and says, “Thank God.”