"Vincente understood all too well what was happening to Liza; he had gone through it 40 years earlier with my mother"

In this quote, Lorna Luft is explaining how Vincente, presumably a relative or buddy, empathizes with Liza's current scenario. Liza is probably going through a difficult time or facing an obstacle, and Vincente can relate because he had a similar experience with Lorna's mother 40 years earlier. This suggests that Liza's struggle is not uncommon and that Vincente has a deep understanding of what she is going through. It also highlights the idea that history typically repeats itself and that Vincente's past experience has given him insight and wisdom to assist Liza through her own struggles.