11 Comments
User's avatar
Sairam Sundaresan's avatar

Oh my! ❤️❤️❤️

Expand full comment
Oscar Obregon's avatar

This was simply beautiful Silvio, loved how you slowly unravel everything and say so, so much. It made me have a knot up my throat and stir so many memories. Again, simply beautiful, hope there's many of this unsent letters to come.

Expand full comment
Silvio Castelletti's avatar

Thank you so much, Oscar. There will be many to come. This one has been hard to write, but I wanted to.

Expand full comment
Chris Coffman's avatar

A lovely post, Silvio, well done.

May I ask, because I suspect there's a wonderful, compressed way to say it in Italian saturated in millennia of human consciousness, what literally did you tell your children when you said (in English translation) "Nonna didn't make it?"

Expand full comment
Silvio Castelletti's avatar

Thank you, Chris. Glad you liked it. As for your question, you'd simply say "Nonna non ce l'ha fatta". Simple enough for kids to understand, and essential enough to convey the message. They knew she was fighting a battle, and that line delivered a defeat.

Expand full comment
Chris Coffman's avatar

Thank you Silvio for sharing this moment of intimacy with your kids. I had a strong feeling that your actual Italian words would convey the wisdom, dignity, measured pride, realism and vitality that the momentous history of Italy has taught its people. Thank you for including me and all your readers in your heritage.

Expand full comment
Silvio Castelletti's avatar

Always an honor to have you as my reader. Thank you for your words.

Expand full comment
Chris Coffman's avatar

And it’s a privilege to share your thoughts, Silvio.

Expand full comment
Stan's avatar

So beautiful Silvio. Your prose brought tears to my eyes.

Expand full comment
Silvio Castelletti's avatar

Thank you, Stan. Thanks for reading.

Expand full comment
martino/pietropoli's avatar

❤️

Expand full comment