dear lola,

thanks for feeding me ramen soup when i was sick and for making us pancakes when we slept over. thanks for teaching me the right way to fold my clothes and for your big smile whenever we saw each other. thanks for slipping me money and always giving me wrigley's doublemint gum. most of all, thank you for all your love and for showing me what it is to be strong despite being in a frail body. i miss you very much, and i hope that you are happy in Heaven. i'm sure you have already found my dad and tita alice. don't forget to stand up straight!

all my love,
your dearest annalisa