“You have a great power within you.” Gabe took my face in his hands as he spoke. His touch was warm, and gentle. “But you must heal yourself first. You must truly learn to feel good about yourself. You must embrace the control you have over your own life. You have given it up to others for too long. You have always been female and seeking your true self has been a positive thing…has it not? If anything…you were always a girl trying to pass for a boy!”

...I struggle with helping my dear girl here with her stories. As someone who is ostensibly tasked with getting her stories ready for publishing, I feel almost useless, other than to help format paragraphs and such, since she does such a great job. But to read for reading's sake always takes a heavy but helpful emotional toll. I find myself getting further and further into the story, whichever she has sent, because it becomes more than a narrative or a tale, but another way to discover who I am by whom she has written down so carefully.

I am so glad to know Kelly as a writer, of course; I find that she is superb as an author. And I am thrilled that she has allowed me in her life as someone who wishes she had born to me. Thank you, my dear sweet daughter.

Dio vi benedica tutti
Con grande amore e di affetto
Andrea Lena