estaban aferrando
Imperfecto progresivo para el sujetoellos/ellas/ustedesdel verboaferrar.

aferrar

Aun con aquellas personas que estaban muy cerca de mi me di cuenta que debían dejar ir la forma en la que se estaban aferrando a mi, de lo contrario tendría que abandonarlas.
Even with those people who were very close to me, I found that they had to let go of the way in which they were holding onto me or I would have to leave them.
Palabra del día
las sombras