"More than a stunning debut. It is the announcement of a bold new literary voice"
—Stephen Chbosky, author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower

10/25/2022
Dear Grandma,
I’m just going to start by saying that this year has been quite the ride. I still cannot believe that it was almost a year ago that we all were watching the coffin being lowered into the ground on that gray December afternoon. It felt weird not having you here for Christmas and New Years\’ day. I still remember what the sky looked like the day you went to Heaven. I don’t know how everyone else feels about it since that was the last time we were all together. Now, we are about a month away from Thanksgiving and it will be the first time celebrating it without you. I still have the shoes that I wore to the service and I still remember grasping the cold metal handle of the casket and walking down the aisle and out to the hurse. That might have been one of the hardest things I did as a teenager. I remember saying very few words during the service and even for the rest of the day because… there were none. As I sit here in at my desk typing up this letter, it is close to that almost a year later, I still cannot believe that you are gone. I know that you are very proud of me for all the things I’ve accomplished this year. We all miss and wish we could spend every day with you, but I guess things happen for a reason that is out of our control.