To Nana my sweet

Ten years ago, on April 13 1998, I lost the single most precious influence of my life - my darling Grandma, Muriel Valladares

For as long as I can remember, my grandma had been my whole world. She was one the one I could laugh with, tell my secrets too and just be myself. She was very nuturing and loved me unconditionally.

I could write a book about all the reasons why I loved her...but even that won't adequately express all that I feel for her. And so for the sake of this post, all I'll say is that I still think of her eveyday and I miss her. I hope that wherever she is, she is happy.

I can only sum up what I feel by borrowing the words of EE Cummings

I carry your heart with me
(I carry it in my heart)
I am never without it
(anywhere I go you go,my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
I fear no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)
I want no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

I carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)